FMI Releases North American Engineering and Construction Outlook, Second Quarter 2020 Report

    RALEIGH, NC, June 25, 2020 /24-7PressRelease/ -- FMI Corporation, the leading provider of consulting and investment banking services to the Built Environment, is pleased to announce the release of its second quarter 2020 North American Engineering and Construction Outlook. The publication offers comprehensive construction forecasts for a broad range of market segments and geographies in the U.S. and Canada as well as information on key market drivers.

Recent economic disruptions considered in the following forecast include the domestic and foreign impact of COVID-19, high volatility across financial and equity markets, emergency policies set in place by the Federal Reserve, some early government stimulus, significantly lower oil prices, and mounting political uncertainty in addition to social unrest headed into the 2020 presidential election. Based on the speed, breadth and apparent lasting impacts of these various disruptions, FMI is anticipating the current recession to continue through the remainder of 2020 and possibly into 2021. Depth and reach of these disruptions will remain under watch.

Key highlights of the report include:

• Total engineering and construction spending for the U.S. is forecast to end down 9% in 2020, compared to 0% growth in 2019.
• Spending declines in 2020 will be realized across all sectors and segments. Declines will be led by an abrupt contraction in residential and private nonresidential building segments. Current anticipated low-performing segments forecast in 2020 include religious (-20%), amusement and recreation (-17%), multifamily residential (-17%) and lodging (-15%). Milder declines are anticipated in select infrastructure and nonbuilding segments, including communication (-1%), highway and street (-3%), transportation (-4%) and public safety (-4%).
• All segments that were previously in the up or stable categories have been downgraded to reflect the broad declines stated above. No segments remain in the up or stable categories.
• FMI's third quarter 2020 Nonresidential Construction Index (NRCI) at 36.9 reflects a stark 31% decline in industry sentiment from the second quarter reading. This is the most severe quarter-to-quarter decline reported in the history of conducting the NRCI. The diffusion index score, below the growth threshold of 50, indicates significant projected losses in future engineering and construction opportunities.

To access the FMI North American Engineering and Construction Outlook, please click here.

About FMI
FMI is the leading provider of consulting and investment banking to the Built Environment. We provide services in the areas of strategy, leadership and organizational development, performance, technology and innovation, mergers and acquisitions, financial advisory and private equity financing.

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