First Look – March 2014

Vulcan Reports Gains
Vulcan Materials reports that in the fourth quarter of 2013, net sales increased $78 million, or 14 percent.

TOP NEWS

Canada Unveils Infrastructure Plan
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper unveils the New Building Canada Plan, the largest long-term infrastructure plan in Canadian history.

Industry Slams OSHA Proposal
The Construction Industry Safety Coalition files comments regarding OSHA’s proposed Crystalline Silica Rulemaking.


MSHA WATCH

MSHA announced that federal inspectors issued 135 citations, 24 orders and one safeguard during special impact inspections conducted at 11 coal mines and two metal and nonmetal mines in December. Only one aggregates operation was inspected: BCJ Sand and Rock Inc. Eight violations were uncovered.


USGS STATS

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, an estimated 367 Mt of crushed stone was produced and shipped for consumption in the United States in the third quarter of 2013, an increase of 8 percent compared with that of the same period of 2012. The estimated production for consumption in the first 9 months of 2013 was 904 Mt, a slight increase compared with the first 9 months of 2012.


ECONOMIC INDICATORS

The value of new construction starts fell 13 percent in January to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $485.0 billion, according to McGraw Hill Construction, a division of McGraw Hill Financial. The downturn followed a healthy performance in December, which was the third highest month for total construction starts during 2013.

Shipments of limestone on the Great Lakes totaled 27.6 million tons in 2013, an increase of 1.7 percent compared to 2012, according to the Lake Carrier’s Association. The trade was, however, still 4 percent below its long-term average.

Strong demand for apartments will increase over the next several years, said panelists during a press conference at the National Association of Home Builders International Builders’ Show in Las Vegas.


ENERGY
  • WTI crude oil futures price -2/25/2014: $101.83/bbl, down $0.60 from week earlier; up $8.72 from year earlier.
  • Natural gas futures price -2/25/2014: $5.096/mmBtu, down $0.455 from week earlier; up $1.682 from year earlier.
  • Weekly coal production – 2/15/2014: 19.153 million tons, up 1.208 million tons from week earlier; down 0.550 million tons from year earlier.
  • Retail Gasoline Price – 2/24/2014: $3.444/gal, up $0.064 from week earlier;
down $0.340 from year earlier.
  • Retail Diesel Price – 2/24/2014: $4.017/gal, up $0.028 from week earlier; down $0.142 from year earlier.

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