The Architecture Billings Index (ABI), produced by the AIA Economics & Market Research Group, is a leading economic indicator that provides an approximately 9 to 12 month glimpse into the future of nonresidential construction spending activity.
The diffusion indexes contained in the full report are derived from a monthly “Work-on-the-Boards” survey that is sent to a panel of AIA member-owned firms. Participants are asked whether their billings increased, decreased, or stayed the same in the month that just ended as compared to the prior month, and the results are then compiled into the ABI. These monthly results are also seasonally adjusted to allow for comparison to prior months.
The monthly ABI index scores are centered around 50, with scores above 50 indicating an aggregate increase in billings, and scores below 50 indicating a decline. The regional and sector data are formulated using a three-month moving average. More information on the ABI and the analysis of its relationship to construction activity can be found in the White Paper Architecture Billings as a Leading Indicator of Construction: Analysis of the Relationship Between a Billings Index and Construction Spending on the AIA web site.
Steel Market Update has been collecting AIA Billings Index data through their press releases for years. The two most referenced pieces of data are the Billings Index and Inquiries Index.
AIA Billings Index
1
January 1, 1996
53.1
63.8
0.0
50.0
2
February 1, 1996
51.3
64.6
0.0
50.0
3
March 1, 1996
55.2
65.9
0.0
50.0
4
April 1, 1996
54.2
62.6
0.0
50.0
5
May 1, 1996
55.0
62.4
0.0
50.0
6
June 1, 1996
55.5
60.9
0.0
50.0
7
July 1, 1996
57.0
60.2
0.0
50.0
8
August 1, 1996
50.2
53.7
0.0
50.0
9
September 1, 1996
57.3
60.5
0.0
50.0
10
October 1, 1996
52.0
65.6
0.0
50.0
11
November 1, 1996
53.1
55.0
0.0
50.0
12
December 1, 1996
44.6
54.2
0.0
50.0
13
January 1, 1997
52.7
65.1
0.0
50.0
14
February 1, 1997
59.2
61.7
0.0
50.0
15
March 1, 1997
54.9
57.0
0.0
50.0
16
April 1, 1997
57.9
58.3
0.0
50.0
17
May 1, 1997
54.2
60.1
0.0
50.0
18
June 1, 1997
50.6
57.3
0.0
50.0
19
July 1, 1997
53.9
60.3
0.0
50.0
20
August 1, 1997
55.5
62.7
0.0
50.0
21
September 1, 1997
53.6
62.7
0.0
50.0
22
October 1, 1997
56.9
60.9
0.0
50.0
23
November 1, 1997
56.8
62.4
0.0
50.0
24
December 1, 1997
51.2
58.5
0.0
50.0
25
January 1, 1998
58.1
60.7
0.0
50.0
26
February 1, 1998
55.8
59.7
0.0
50.0
27
March 1, 1998
47.8
62.0
0.0
50.0
28
April 1, 1998
52.9
61.2
0.0
50.0
29
May 1, 1998
56.7
62.5
0.0
50.0
30
June 1, 1998
58.2
64.6
0.0
50.0
31
July 1, 1998
53.5
63.6
0.0
50.0
32
August 1, 1998
62.3
60.8
0.0
50.0
33
September 1, 1998
51.5
62.7
0.0
50.0
34
October 1, 1998
54.0
62.0
0.0
50.0
35
November 1, 1998
54.5
63.2
0.0
50.0
36
December 1, 1998
55.2
60.1
0.0
50.0
37
January 1, 1999
54.1
62.8
0.0
50.0
38
February 1, 1999
53.9
59.0
0.0
50.0
39
March 1, 1999
53.6
61.1
0.0
50.0
40
April 1, 1999
52.0
62.2
0.0
50.0
41
May 1, 1999
52.9
60.2
0.0
50.0
42
June 1, 1999
53.4
64.1
0.0
50.0
43
July 1, 1999
55.8
61.9
0.0
50.0
44
August 1, 1999
51.4
67.3
0.0
50.0
45
September 1, 1999
56.0
61.4
0.0
50.0
46
October 1, 1999
53.9
63.5
0.0
50.0
47
November 1, 1999
55.4
60.8
0.0
50.0
48
December 1, 1999
57.8
64.2
0.0
50.0
49
January 1, 2000
54.8
62.6
0.0
50.0
50
February 1, 2000
55.5
65.2
0.0
50.0
51
March 1, 2000
53.7
63.2
0.0
50.0
52
April 1, 2000
54.1
62.2
0.0
50.0
53
May 1, 2000
51.4
55.3
0.0
50.0
54
June 1, 2000
50.4
57.4
0.0
50.0
55
July 1, 2000
51.4
60.4
0.0
50.0
56
August 1, 2000
52.5
60.2
0.0
50.0
57
September 1, 2000
54.1
62.3
0.0
50.0
58
October 1, 2000
54.5
60.7
0.0
50.0
59
November 1, 2000
50.8
59.6
0.0
50.0
60
December 1, 2000
53.3
58.7
0.0
50.0
61
January 1, 2001
45.7
56.1
0.0
50.0
62
February 1, 2001
45.3
50.3
0.0
50.0
63
March 1, 2001
46.2
51.9
0.0
50.0
64
April 1, 2001
49.7
58.2
0.0
50.0
65
May 1, 2001
47.7
55.7
0.0
50.0
66
June 1, 2001
44.0
54.5
0.0
50.0
67
July 1, 2001
48.3
52.6
0.0
50.0
68
August 1, 2001
52.7
52.4
0.0
50.0
69
September 1, 2001
45.2
49.2
0.0
50.0
70
October 1, 2001
40.1
50.2
0.0
50.0
71
November 1, 2001
45.7
54.1
0.0
50.0
72
December 1, 2001
45.7
56.4
0.0
50.0
73
January 1, 2002
46.8
57.0
0.0
50.0
74
February 1, 2002
47.3
57.4
0.0
50.0
75
March 1, 2002
49.5
60.4
0.0
50.0
76
April 1, 2002
46.6
56.8
0.0
50.0
77
May 1, 2002
51.1
56.3
0.0
50.0
78
June 1, 2002
51.7
57.4
0.0
50.0
79
July 1, 2002
49.3
58.1
0.0
50.0
80
August 1, 2002
50.5
57.7
0.0
50.0
81
September 1, 2002
50.1
64.0
0.0
50.0
82
October 1, 2002
49.3
58.7
0.0
50.0
83
November 1, 2002
50.4
56.6
0.0
50.0
84
December 1, 2002
47.8
50.8
0.0
50.0
85
January 1, 2003
48.5
56.4
0.0
50.0
86
February 1, 2003
47.9
57.3
0.0
50.0
87
March 1, 2003
47.7
54.8
0.0
50.0
88
April 1, 2003
49.8
55.7
0.0
50.0
89
May 1, 2003
48.6
56.6
0.0
50.0
90
June 1, 2003
50.2
65.0
0.0
50.0
91
July 1, 2003
47.8
55.5
0.0
50.0
92
August 1, 2003
43.7
55.8
0.0
50.0
93
September 1, 2003
53.6
59.7
0.0
50.0
94
October 1, 2003
48.4
61.4
0.0
50.0
95
November 1, 2003
48.7
60.1
0.0
50.0
96
December 1, 2003
50.2
62.3
0.0
50.0
97
January 1, 2004
52.0
60.0
0.0
50.0
98
February 1, 2004
54.8
63.4
0.0
50.0
99
March 1, 2004
55.5
65.6
0.0
50.0
100
April 1, 2004
52.2
64.1
0.0
50.0
101
May 1, 2004
51.5
58.0
0.0
50.0
102
June 1, 2004
52.2
65.1
0.0
50.0
103
July 1, 2004
49.9
65.2
0.0
50.0
104
August 1, 2004
53.3
66.6
0.0
50.0
105
September 1, 2004
50.0
61.8
0.0
50.0
106
October 1, 2004
54.5
62.4
0.0
50.0
107
November 1, 2004
51.3
63.3
0.0
50.0
108
December 1, 2004
47.8
62.3
0.0
50.0
109
January 1, 2005
56.7
64.1
0.0
50.0
110
February 1, 2005
55.8
61.9
0.0
50.0
111
March 1, 2005
56.3
64.9
0.0
50.0
112
April 1, 2005
56.0
63.8
0.0
50.0
113
May 1, 2005
57.5
65.5
0.0
50.0
114
June 1, 2005
53.2
63.4
0.0
50.0
115
July 1, 2005
59.2
62.6
0.0
50.0
116
August 1, 2005
56.3
62.8
0.0
50.0
117
September 1, 2005
61.2
61.8
0.0
50.0
118
October 1, 2005
58.6
64.7
0.0
50.0
119
November 1, 2005
57.4
66.4
0.0
50.0
120
December 1, 2005
49.7
64.1
0.0
50.0
121
January 1, 2006
53.1
62.6
0.0
50.0
122
February 1, 2006
56.0
64.4
0.0
50.0
123
March 1, 2006
52.9
61.3
0.0
50.0
124
April 1, 2006
54.9
62.1
0.0
50.0
125
May 1, 2006
51.6
61.7
0.0
50.0
126
June 1, 2006
50.4
57.5
0.0
50.0
127
July 1, 2006
50.4
62.1
0.0
50.0
128
August 1, 2006
59.3
63.6
0.0
50.0
129
September 1, 2006
53.0
66.4
0.0
50.0
130
October 1, 2006
51.8
63.4
0.0
50.0
131
November 1, 2006
55.0
62.7
0.0
50.0
132
December 1, 2006
54.4
59.0
0.0
50.0
133
January 1, 2007
55.8
64.5
0.0
50.0
134
February 1, 2007
53.4
63.0
0.0
50.0
135
March 1, 2007
54.7
63.2
0.0
50.0
136
April 1, 2007
54.0
63.9
0.0
50.0
137
May 1, 2007
57.0
63.3
0.0
50.0
138
June 1, 2007
59.0
63.5
0.0
50.0
139
July 1, 2007
57.9
63.8
0.0
50.0
140
August 1, 2007
53.4
60.0
0.0
50.0
141
September 1, 2007
51.9
59.3
0.0
50.0
142
October 1, 2007
54.2
58.8
0.0
50.0
143
November 1, 2007
54.2
58.2
0.0
50.0
144
December 1, 2007
51.8
58.5
0.0
50.0
145
January 1, 2008
50.2
57.9
0.0
50.0
146
February 1, 2008
42.6
54.7
0.0
50.0
147
March 1, 2008
41.1
49.0
0.0
50.0
148
April 1, 2008
46.1
54.0
0.0
50.0
149
May 1, 2008
44.7
46.9
0.0
50.0
150
June 1, 2008
46.4
52.2
0.0
50.0
151
July 1, 2008
45.9
53.6
0.0
50.0
152
August 1, 2008
46.5
51.9
0.0
50.0
153
September 1, 2008
41.2
49.2
0.0
50.0
154
October 1, 2008
37.0
40.2
0.0
50.0
155
November 1, 2008
34.2
39.2
0.0
50.0
156
December 1, 2008
34.1
38.5
0.0
50.0
157
January 1, 2009
33.3
43.5
0.0
50.0
158
February 1, 2009
35.3
49.5
0.0
50.0
159
March 1, 2009
43.7
56.6
0.0
50.0
160
April 1, 2009
42.8
56.8
0.0
50.0
161
May 1, 2009
42.9
55.2
0.0
50.0
162
June 1, 2009
37.7
53.8
0.0
50.0
163
July 1, 2009
43.1
50.3
0.0
50.0
164
August 1, 2009
41.7
55.2
0.0
50.0
165
September 1, 2009
43.1
59.1
0.0
50.0
166
October 1, 2009
46.1
58.5
0.0
50.0
167
November 1, 2009
42.8
58.5
0.0
50.0
168
December 1, 2009
43.4
55.3
0.0
50.0
169
January 1, 2010
42.5
52.5
0.0
50.0
170
February 1, 2010
44.8
52.0
0.0
50.0
171
March 1, 2010
46.1
58.5
0.0
50.0
172
April 1, 2010
48.4
59.6
0.0
50.0
173
May 1, 2010
45.8
55.5
0.0
50.0
174
June 1, 2010
46.0
57.7
0.0
50.0
175
July 1, 2010
47.9
53.1
0.0
50.0
176
August 1, 2010
48.2
54.6
0.0
50.0
177
September 1, 2010
50.4
62.3
0.0
50.0
178
October 1, 2010
48.7
61.7
0.0
50.0
179
November 1, 2010
52.0
61.4
0.0
50.0
180
December 1, 2010
54.2
62.6
0.0
50.0
181
January 1, 2011
50.0
56.5
0.0
50.0
182
February 1, 2011
50.6
56.4
0.0
50.0
183
March 1, 2011
50.5
58.7
0.0
50.0
184
April 1, 2011
47.6
55.0
0.0
50.0
185
May 1, 2011
47.2
52.6
0.0
50.0
186
June 1, 2011
46.3
58.1
0.0
50.0
187
July 1, 2011
45.1
53.7
0.0
50.0
188
August 1, 2011
51.4
56.9
0.0
50.0
189
September 1, 2011
46.9
54.3
0.0
50.0
190
October 1, 2011
49.4
57.3
0.0
50.0
191
November 1, 2011
52.0
65.0
0.0
50.0
192
December 1, 2011
51.0
61.5
0.0
50.0
193
January 1, 2012
50.9
61.2
0.0
50.0
194
February 1, 2012
51.0
63.4
0.0
50.0
195
March 1, 2012
50.4
56.6
0.0
50.0
196
April 1, 2012
48.4
54.4
0.0
50.0
197
May 1, 2012
45.8
54.0
0.0
50.0
198
June 1, 2012
45.9
54.4
0.0
50.0
199
July 1, 2012
48.7
56.3
0.0
50.0
200
August 1, 2012
50.2
57.2
0.0
50.0
201
September 1, 2012
51.6
57.3
0.0
50.0
202
October 1, 2012
52.8
59.4
0.0
50.0
203
November 1, 2012
53.2
59.6
0.0
50.0
204
December 1, 2012
51.2
57.9
0.0
50.0
205
January 1, 2013
54.2
63.2
0.0
50.0
206
February 1, 2013
54.9
64.8
0.0
50.0
207
March 1, 2013
51.9
60.1
0.0
50.0
208
April 1, 2013
48.6
58.5
0.0
50.0
209
May 1, 2013
52.9
59.1
0.0
50.0
210
June 1, 2013
51.6
62.6
0.0
50.0
211
July 1, 2013
52.7
66.7
0.0
50.0
212
August 1, 2013
53.8
63.0
0.0
50.0
213
September 1, 2013
54.3
58.6
0.0
50.0
214
October 1, 2013
51.6
61.5
0.0
50.0
215
November 1, 2013
49.8
57.8
0.0
50.0
216
December 1, 2013
48.5
59.2
0.0
50.0
217
January 1, 2014
50.4
58.5
0.0
50.0
218
February 1, 2014
50.7
56.8
0.0
50.0
219
March 1, 2014
48.8
57.9
0.0
50.0
220
April 1, 2014
49.6
59.1
0.0
50.0
221
May 1, 2014
52.6
63.2
0.0
50.0
222
June 1, 2014
53.5
66.4
0.0
50.0
223
July 1, 2014
55.8
66.0
0.0
50.0
224
August 1, 2014
53.0
62.6
0.0
50.0
225
September 1, 2014
55.2
64.8
0.0
50.0
226
October 1, 2014
53.7
62.7
0.0
50.0
227
November 1, 2014
50.9
58.8
0.0
50.0
228
December 1, 2014
52.7
59.1
0.0
50.0
229
January 1, 2015
49.9
58.7
0.0
50.0
230
February 1, 2015
50.4
56.6
0.0
50.0
231
March 1, 2015
51.7
58.2
0.0
50.0
232
April 1, 2015
48.8
60.1
0.0
50.0
233
May 1, 2015
51.9
61.5
0.0
50.0
234
June 1, 2015
55.7
63.4
0.0
50.0
235
July 1, 2015
54.7
63.7
0.0
50.0
236
August 1, 2015
49.1
61.8
0.0
50.0
237
September 1, 2015
53.7
61.0
0.0
50.0
238
October 1, 2015
53.1
58.5
0.0
50.0
239
November 1, 2015
49.3
58.6
0.0
50.0
240
December 1, 2015
51.3
60.5
0.0
50.0
241
January 1, 2016
49.6
55.3
0.0
50.0
242
February 1, 2016
50.3
59.5
0.0
50.0
243
March 1, 2016
51.9
58.1
0.0
50.0
244
April 1, 2016
50.6
56.9
0.0
50.0
245
May 1, 2016
53.1
60.1
0.0
50.0
246
June 1, 2016
52.6
58.6
0.0
50.0
247
July 1, 2016
51.5
57.5
0.0
50.0
248
August 1, 2016
49.7
61.8
0.0
50.0
249
September 1, 2016
48.4
59.4
0.0
50.0
250
October 1, 2016
50.8
55.4
0.0
50.0
251
November 1, 2016
50.6
59.5
0.0
50.0
252
December 1, 2016
55.6
57.6
50.7
50.0
253
January 1, 2017
49.5
60.0
52.1
50.0
254
February 1, 2017
50.7
61.5
54.7
50.0
255
March 1, 2017
54.3
59.8
52.3
50.0
256
April 1, 2017
50.9
60.2
53.2
50.0
257
May 1, 2017
53.0
62.4
54.8
50.0
258
June 1, 2017
54.2
58.6
53.7
50.0
259
July 1, 2017
51.9
59.5
56.4
50.0
260
August 1, 2017
53.7
62.5
54.2
50.0
261
September 1, 2017
49.1
59.0
52.9
50.0
262
October 1, 2017
51.7
60.2
52.8
50.0
263
November 1, 2017
55.0
61.1
53.2
50.0
264
December 1, 2017
52.8
62.0
53.4
50.0
265
January 1, 2018
54.7
61.1
53.9
50.0
266
February 1, 2018
52.0
62.4
54.5
50.0
267
March 1, 2018
51.0
58.1
51.5
50.0
268
April 1, 2018
52.0
56.7
50.1
50.0
269
May 1, 2018
52.8
59.3
53.3
50.0
270
June 1, 2018
51.3
56.0
54.1
50.0
271
July 1, 2018
50.7
60.5
53.8
50.0
272
August 1, 2018
54.2
58.0
49.6
50.0
273
September 1, 2018
51.1
58.8
54.1
50.0
274
October 1, 2018
50.4
58.6
52.8
50.0
275
November 1, 2018
54.7
63.1
54.6
50.0
276
December 1, 2018
51.0
55.6
52.1
50.0
277
January 1, 2019
55.3
59.6
53.8
50.0
278
February 1, 2019
50.3
59.8
53.1
50.0
279
March 1, 2019
47.8
59.8
50.8
50.0
280
April 1, 2019
50.5
60.9
52.1
50.0
281
May 1, 2019
50.2
56.2
50.9
50.0
282
June 1, 2019
49.1
52.8
50.3
50.0
283
July 1, 2019
50.1
54.9
49.0
50.0
284
August 1, 2019
47.2
54.5
47.9
50.0
285
September 1, 2019
49.7
59.0
54.4
50.0
286
October 1, 2019
52.0
57.9
52.9
50.0
287
November 1, 2019
51.9
60.9
52.9
50.0
288
December 1, 2019
52.1
58.7
53.4
50.0
289
January 1, 2020
52.2
57.9
56.0
50.0
290
February 1, 2020
53.4
56.5
52.0
50.0
291
March 1, 2020
33.3
23.8
27.1
50.0
292
April 1, 2020
29.5
28.4
27.6
50.0
293
May 1, 2020
32.0
38.0
33.1
50.0
294
June 1, 2020
40.0
49.3
44.0
50.0
295
July 1, 2020
40.0
49.1
41.7
50.0
296
August 1, 2020
40.0
51.6
46.0
50.0
297
September 1, 2020
47.0
57.2
48.9
50.0
298
October 1, 2020
47.5
59.1
51.7
50.0
299
November 1, 2020
46.3
52.0
48.6
50.0
300
December 1, 2020
42.3
51.7
47.0
50.0
301
January 1, 2021
44.9
56.8
48.8
50.0
302
February 1, 2021
53.3
61.2
51.6
50.0
303
March 1, 2021
55.6
66.9
55.7
50.0
304
April 1, 2021
57.9
70.8
61.7
50.0
305
May 1, 2021
58.5
69.2
63.2
50.0
306
June 1, 2021
57.1
71.8
58.9
50.0
307
July 1, 2021
54.6
65.0
58.0
50.0
308
August 1, 2021
55.6
64.7
56.6
50.0
309
September 1, 2021
56.6
61.8
54.7
50.0
310
October 1, 2021
54.3
62.9
58.0
50.0
311
November 1, 2021
51.0
59.4
55.8
50.0
312
December 1, 2021
51.0
66.8
55.8
50.0
313
January 1, 2022
51.0
61.9
56.1
50.0
314
February 1, 2022
51.3
62.5
55.2
50.0
315
March 1, 2022
58.0
63.9
60.5
50.0
316
April 1, 2022
56.5
62.3
55.4
50.0
317
May 1, 2022
53.5
63.9
56.9
50.0
318
June 1, 2022
53.2
58.2
52.2
50.0
319
July 1, 2022
51.0
56.1
52.9
50.0
320
August 1, 2022
53.3
57.9
52.3
50.0
321
September 1, 2022
51.7
53.6
50.7
50.0
322
October 1, 2022
47.7
52.3
48.6
50.0
323
November 1, 2022
46.6
52.0
46.9
50.0
324
December 1, 2022
47.5
52.3
49.4
50.0
325
January 1, 2023
49.3
55.2
53.4
50.0
326
February 1, 2023
48.0
60.0
51.3
50.0
327
March 1, 2023
50.4
53.0
48.9
50.0
328
April 1, 2023
48.5
53.9
49.8
50.0
329
May 1, 2023
51.0
57.2
52.3
50.0
330
June 1, 2023
50.1
56.7
52.7
50.0
331
July 1, 2023
50.0
54.5
50.0
50.0
332
August 1, 2023
48.1
54.8
47.9
50.0
333
September 1, 2023
44.8
53.7
46.2
50.0
334
October 1, 2023
44.3
48.8
46.5
50.0
335
November 1, 2023
45.3
56.9
48.1
50.0
336
December 1, 2023
45.4
53.1
50.0
50.0
337
January 1, 2024
46.2
53.8
49.7
50.0
338
February 1, 2024
49.5
56.0
51.1
50.0
339
March 1, 2024
43.6
54.9
50.0
50.0
