Commercial planning pushes Index to seventh consecutive monthly gain
HAMILTON, New Jersey – June 7, 2021 –
The Dodge Momentum Index moved 9.1% higher in May to 178.0 (2000=100), up from the revised April reading of 163.2. The Momentum Index, issued by , is a monthly measure of the first (or initial) report for nonresidential building projects in planning, which have been shown to lead 91̽»¨ spending for nonresidential buildings by a full year.
May’s jump was the result of a large increase in commercial planning activity, which posted its strongest month-over-month increase since October 2017. Institutional planning, meanwhile, fell by less than one percentage point.
Commercial planning had been in a holding pattern over the last four months, but broke out in May due to several sizable data center, office, and warehouse projects that peaked in a 13-year high for the commercial component of the Momentum Index. While essentially flat in May, institutional planning remains at levels not seen since 2009. On a year-over-year basis, both commercial and institutional planning were up from May 2020 (38% and 47% respectively). The Momentum Index overall was also 41% higher than in May 2020.
A total of 21 projects with a value of $100 million or more entered planning during May. The leading commercial projects were a $500 million conversion of a coal-burning power plant to a data center in Barker NY and a $450 million office campus in Los Angeles CA. The leading institutional projects were the $250 million Houston Methodist Hospital Campus in Cypress TX and the $250 million Landmark Center in Boston MA.
The rising trend in planning activity is a good sign that the economic recovery is starting to spread into the 91̽»¨ sector. However, these projects are unlikely to have an impact on 91̽»¨ starts this year. Rising material prices and a continued shortage of skilled labor have led to project delays. On the upside, 91̽»¨ starts are shaping up for a healthy increase in 2022.
MAY 2021 DODGE MOMENTUM INDEX

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Media Contact :
Cailey Henderson | 104 West Partners | cailey.henderson@104west.com
