According to the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), its Construction Backlog Indicator (CBI) reached a new all-time high during the third quarter of 2014 at 8.8 months

The Construction Backlog Indicator (CBI) is a forward-looking national economic indicator that reflects the amount of work that will be performed by commercial and industrial contractors in the months ahead.

The 2014 third quarter backlog is 6.9 percent higher than the third quarter of 2013 and the continued growth of backlog during the last six months likely indicates that 2015 will be a strong year of recovery for the nation’s nonresidential construction industry.

ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu said, “Every region of the nation experienced expanding backlog during the third quarter and so did every industry segment”. Recent data regarding nonresidential construction and employment has shown only sporadic gains, which is consistent with the less optimistic backlog readings registered earlier this year. But the last two quarters tell a positive story that the average nonresidential contractor in America is positioned to get busier.”

“Given the recent acceleration in job growth, the improvement in the quality of jobs being added, and a still-accommodative Federal Reserve, the U.S. macroeconomic outlook for 2015 represents the most upbeat assessment of economic prospects during the post-recession period,” said Basu.

“The nation has added more than 2.6 million jobs over the past 12 months and, for the first time in six years, the nation’s unemployment rate has dipped below 6 percent. While there are a number of headwinds, including a still-shaky global economy and a meaningful dip in oil prices that is likely to impact both oil production and related capital spending, most leading indicators remain positive. Lending conditions appear to be easing and a booming stock market has generated both positive wealth and confidence effects.”