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.
Delay Bid Date |
On-Hold |
Abandoned |
| 92.2 | 84.7 | 93.7 |
|
|
|
Month-on-month changes of less than 0.25% are indicated as unchanged. Image and Data by ConstructConnect.
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
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
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.
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