The government shutdown this fall continues to disrupt the release of construction spending and employment data. Previously, construction spending data was released on the first of each month (reflecting figures from two months prior), and construction employment data was released on the first Friday (reflecting the prior month).

As of today (February 6), 

• The November 2025 construction spending release (originally scheduled for January 2, 2026) and the December 2025 release (originally scheduled for February 2, 2026) have both been rescheduled for release on February 27, 2026.
• The January 2026 Employment Situation (originally scheduled for release today) will be released on February 11, 2026.

Earlier this week, Ed Zarenski posted an article with his analysis of the data recently released, including:

• Despite delayed government releases, recent data through Dec 2025 jobs and Nov PPI show trends in labor and pricing dynamics.
• Construction jobs increased only modestly in 2025 (+1.1%), while spending (through October) fell about –1.5%; once inflation is factored in, real business volume declined by roughly 5.3%, meaning productivity decreased more than 6% year-over-year.
• Sector performance varies: nonresidential and nonbuilding jobs were up, while residential jobs edged down and residential spending was weaker in 2025.
• 25 data center construction projects were canceled in 2025, about 4× the number in 2024, highlighting potential volatility in that high-growth segment.
• Overall volume of work (spending after inflation) is expected to continue declining through 2026, putting pressure on hiring, productivity, and backlog levels.

Until the rescheduled reports are released later this month, these indicators provide one of the clearest snapshots available of current construction market conditions. We’ll continue monitoring the updated spending and employment releases and will share key takeaways as soon as the new data becomes available.