Project Stress Index Economy

Project Stress Index™ Falls in May, Led by Fewer Abandoned Projects

KEY POINTS

  • The ConstructConnect Project Stress Index™ (PSI) closed May 2026 at 90.2, a 6.7% decline from April's reading.

  • The drop extended across all three stress indicators, pulling the index to its lowest month-end level since August 2024.

  • The Project Stress Index has fallen 18.2% compared with the same period a year ago, driven by a 30.2% decrease in abandonments. 

Composite Overview 

The ConstructConnect Project Stress Index™ (PSI) closed May 2026 at 90.2, a 6.7% decline from April's reading.

The drop extended across all three stress indicators, pulling the index to its lowest month-end level since August 2024.

Abandonments led the decline, falling 14.2% over the month, followed by a 2.8% decrease in bid date delays and a 1.4% drop in on-hold activity.

Year-over-year improvements in the index have been equally strong.
The Project Stress Index has fallen 18.2% compared with the same period a year ago, driven by a 30.2% decrease in abandonments.

Bid date delays and on-hold activity have also declined noticeably from year-ago levels, dropping 10.8% and 9.2%, respectively.

Components Monitor

Delay Bid Date

On-Hold

Abandoned

92.2 84.7 93.7
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Month-on-month changes of less than 0.25% are indicated as unchanged. Image and Data by ConstructConnect.

Screenshot 2026-06-04 165451

The ConstructConnect Project Stress Index (PSI) composite chart is shown from May 2024 to May 2026. The PSI is a seasonally adjusted, equal-weight measure of delayed, on-hold, or abandoned projects. (Month-on-month changes of less than 0.25% are indicated as unchanged). Image and Data by ConstructConnect

Sector Status Update 

May's results were encouraging for both sectors, though the private sector showed the most notable improvement. All three private sector stress indicators—bid date delays, on-hold activity, and abandonments—declined compared with year-ago levels.

Trade disruptions in the Middle East have pushed energy prices higher and lifted downstream construction material costs, yet these pressures have done little to hamper private sector activity so far.

As disruptions in trade in the region persists, ConstructConnect will continue to monitor how elevated prices affect the PSI.

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READ THE FAQs on The Project Stress Index

About the Project Stress Index

The Project Stress Index (PSI) composite represents an equal-weight measure of the seasonally adjusted level of preconstruction projects that have experienced a delayed bid date, been placed on hold, or abandoned in the last 30 days. The PSI only monitors nonresidential and multifamily projects in their preconstruction phases, thus excluding any single-family home construction. Each component has been seasonally adjusted and then indexed against its 2021 average weekly reading. The independent tracking of each status type gives unique insights into market changes’ timing, direction, and amplitude. Additional information about the PSI, including detailed data about the individual readings for delayed, on-hold, and abandoned projects, can be found here.

About ConstructConnect

At ConstructConnect, our software solutions provide the information that construction professionals need to start every project on a solid foundation. For more than 100 years, our keen insights and market intelligence have empowered commercial firms, building product manufacturers, trade contractors, and architects to make data-driven decisions, streamline preconstruction workflows, and maximize their productivity. Our newest offerings—including our comprehensive, AI-assisted software—help our clients find, bid on, and win more projects.

ConstructConnect operates as a business unit of Roper Technologies (Nasdaq: ROP), a constituent of the Nasdaq 100, S&P 500, and Fortune 1000.

For more information, visit constructconnect.com

Devin Bell, Associate Economist
Devin Bell joined ConstructConnect as the Associate Economist in April 2025, tracking key industry construction trends and data. He reports on industry-leading indicators, including the Project Stress Index, the Expansion Index, and the Data Center Report. He is currently pursuing a master’s degree in economics.