Ceramic Tile Statistics Competitive Intelligence Economic Indicators Floor Covering Products Industry Forecasts Industry Statistics Reports Stone Statistics

What Contractors Can Expect for 2025

The construction industry and manufacturers can look forward to a gradually improving operating environment in 2025, thanks to lower interest rates, moderating inflation and steady if unspectacular growth in the nation’s overall economic activity. “We look for real GDP growth of 2.5% in 2025,” said Bernard Yaros Jr., lead U.S. economist at Oxford Economics (oxfordeconomics.com). (Gross domestic product, the total value of the nation’s goods and services, is the most commonly utilized measure of economic growth. “Real” GDP subtracts the effects of inflation.) Read More

Ceramic Tile Statistics Competitive Intelligence Economic Indicators Floor Covering Products Industry Forecasts Industry Statistics Stone Statistics

Ceramic Imports Declined 4.1% in First 11 Months of 2024

In the months January to November 2024, total U.S. imports of ceramic tile were 163.7 million square meters, a decline of 4.1% from the same period in 2023 when imports were 170.7 million square meters, according to Grosser Consulting. Read More

Ceramic Tile Statistics Competitive Intelligence Economic Indicators Floor Covering Products Industry Forecasts Industry Statistics Stone Statistics

Ceramic Imports Declined 4.1% in First 11 Months of 2024

In the months January to November 2024, total U.S. imports of ceramic tile were 163.7 million square meters, a decline of 4.1% from the same period in 2023 when imports were 170.7 million square meters, according to Grosser Consulting. Read More

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Construction Hiring Slowed Significantly in November

The construction industry had just 276,000 job openings on the last day of November 2024, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey. Read More

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National Retail Federation Anticipating Healthy Activity in 2025

Economic growth withstood inflation, high interest rates and other challenges in 2024 and should continue to show strength in 2025, National Retail Federation chief economist Jack Kleinhenz said. Read More

Ceramic Tile Statistics Competitive Intelligence Economic Indicators Floor Covering Products Industry Forecasts Industry Statistics Stone Statistics

State of Tile in 2024

Tile closed out 2024 with minimal if any growth. “Sluggish” was the word Jamann Stepp, vice president of hard surface for Stanton, used to describe the market. While tile’s technology, style and performance, he said, were on point, economic conditions prevented significant growth. Read More

Economic Indicators Industry Forecasts Industry Statistics

Interest rates & uncertainty took its toll on the industry in 2024 With a slow start to 2024, conventional wisdom held that the second half of the year would pick up. That did not happen, and the flooring industry had an overall slow, if not down, year in 2024. Read More

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Immigration & the Labor Force

The construction industry will need to add about 500,000 new workers a year over the coming years to meet the demand for labor, according to projections from the trade association Associated Builders and Contractors. This will present a significant obstacle given that there are currently around 300,000 job openings nationally while it faces serious ongoing demographic challenges in finding additional workers. Read More

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Builder Confidence Steady but Signs of Future Optimism in 2025

Builder sentiment held steady to end the year as high home prices and mortgage rates offset renewed hope about a better regulatory business climate in 2025. Along those lines, builders expressed increased optimism for higher sales expectations in the next months. Read More

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BEA News: Personal Income and Outlays, November 2024

Personal income increased $71.1 billion (0.3 percent at a monthly rate) in November. Disposable personal income (DPI)—personal income less personal current taxes—increased $61.1 billion (0.3 percent). Read More