For many in the industry, the construction market seems to have stabilized and is beginning to show signs of life. However, there are concerns among owners, both public and private, about the availability of funds to launch new capital programs. So the construction industry believes that any significant rebound will not come until 2013.
The most recent ENR Construction Industry Confidence Index survey shows the industry's guarded optimism. The second-quarter 2012 CICI fell two points from the first quarter to 56 on a scale of 100. (A CICI rating of 50 would represent a stable market.) The 449 executives of large construction and design firms responding to the survey believe the market has stopped falling and is showing signs of growth.
The CICI measures executive sentiment about the current market and reflects their views on where it will be in the next three to six months and over a 12- to 18-month period. The index is based on responses to surveys sent out to more than 3,000 U.S. firms on ENR's lists of the leading contractors, subcontractors and design firms. The latest results are based on a survey conducted from May 24 to June 11.
CICI还衡量了关于美国经济的情绪，这是未来建设趋势的主要指标。在第二季度，对美国经济的信心降至CICI评级为55，比上一季度的64个。该评级标志着CICI对整体经济的信心首次低于他们对市场的信心。
当前市场仍然存在很大的不确定性。一些受访者说，最近关于经济的悲观报告，包括失业率的意外上升，使业主停了下来。一位大型中西部专业承包商的高管说：“我们的市场往往会改善，但我认为一般经济不会。”
Many respondents say that some projects are on hold, pending the results of this year's presidential election, when there will be more certainty about the direction Washington will take. "It's a presidential election year. Not much will change until 2013," says an exec at a mid-size engineer-contractor in the South.
至于当前市场，受访者（24％）认为它仍在下降。但是，有21％的人认为它正在增长。但是有29％的人认为，到年底，市场将在年底增长，而20％的市场认为它仍会下降。
该行业对2013年市场的期望仍然很高。只有8％的受访者认为市场将在12到18个月内继续下降，而57％的受访者表示将有所改善。
CFMA调查：首席财务官警惕
The CICI findings parallel the soon-to-be-released results of the latest Confindex survey from the Construction Financial Management Association, Princeton, N.J. CFMA polls 200 CFOs from general contractors, subcontractors and civil contractors. (A Confindex rating of 100 indicates a stable market.) Higher ratings show growth is expected.
