KEY POINTS
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The ConstructConnect Project Stress Index™ (PSI) closed August 2026 at 96.0, a 2.1% decrease from July's reading.
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All three stress indicators improved from a year ago.
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Abandonments dropped 35.3%, on-hold activity fell 7.5%, and bid date delays decreased 6.4%.
Abandonments Fall by One-Third from a Year Ago
The ConstructConnect Project Stress Index™ (PSI) closed August 2026 at 96.0, a 2.1% decrease from July's reading.
All three indicators ticked down across the month, albeit modestly. On-hold activity led the decrease, dropping 3.0%, while bid-date delays decreased 2.0% and abandonments fell 1.6%.
August's reading is down 20.4% year-over-year, though part of that decline reflects an uncommonly high reading in August 2025.
All three project stress indicators improved from a year ago, with abandonments dropping 35.3%, on-hold activity falling 7.5%, and bid date delays decreasing 6.4%.
As the index’s historical record grows, it opens opportunities to perform additional statistics. As part of this growth, the Economics Team has updated the seasonal adjustments that pull impactful insights out of the raw data with its inherent noise.
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 August 2024 to August 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
Abandonment activity held nearly flat across both public and private projects in August even as energy markets remained volatile amid ongoing conflict in the Middle East and Russia.
Continued disruptions to production, refining, and shipping in those regions will likely deepen uncertainty over construction costs, potentially raising future stress levels if disruptions persist.
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READ THE FAQs on The Project Stress Index
About the Project Stress Index™ Report
The Project Stress Index™ (PSI) report includes data and analysis on preconstruction projects that have experienced a delayed bid date, been placed on hold, or abandoned in the last 30 days, providing an early indicator of possible headwinds for the U.S. construction market. The report's composite reading equally weights these three project statuses and covers only nonresidential and multifamily preconstruction projects, excluding single-family home construction. Each component is indexed against its 2021 average weekly reading and tracked independently, revealing the timing, direction, and amplitude of market changes. Additional information about the PSI report, including detailed data for the delayed, on-hold, and abandoned readings, 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.
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