Construction Jobs Fall in September

The number of open construction sector jobs trended lower in September, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS). The data indicate the demand for construction labor market remains weaker than a year ago.

Elements of the construction sector slowed in prior months as tight Federal Reserve policy persisted. The number of open construction sector jobs fell from a revised 328,000 in August to a softer 288,000 in September. This September reading was lower than last September's number of 422,000 open, unfilled construction jobs.

The number of open jobs for the overall economy declined from 7.86 million to 7.44 million in September. This is notably smaller than the 9.31 million estimate reported a year ago and a clear sign of a softening aggregate labor market.

Previous NAHB analysis indicated that this number had to fall below 8 million on a sustained basis for the Fed to feel more comfortable about labor market conditions and their potential impacts on inflation. With estimates now remaining near 8 million for national job openings, the Fed has begun a credit easing cycle should continue lowering rates.

NAHB Chief Economist Dr. Robert Dietz provides additional details in this Eye on Housing post.