Trendlines Newsletter- August 2026

Alabama Cement Shipments End First Quarter Up 3.5%

Data recently released by the United States Geological Service shows cement shipments jumped by 2.4% in March 2026 compared to the same month in 2025. We estimate 583,063 cubic yards of concrete were placed during the month. The state experienced growth in all three months of the first quarter, closing the quarter out 3.5% ahead of Q1 in 2025. (Please note the January cement shipments were transposed in the July 2026 report resulting in a correction of 18, 000 tons).

Looking to industry economic reports, the University of Alabama’s Center for Real Estate (ACRE) June 2026 report indicates that projected homebuilding starts are up 13.1% for the year compared to the first six months of 2025. The AIA Billing Index registered 46.6 in July, a slight decline from June. The South Region continued to outperform the national average, coming in at 48.7 for the month. Meanwhile, the NAHB Sentiment Index recorded a reading of 35 in August, up 1 point from July. Any reading below 50 on the AIA or NAHB indexes signals a potential slowdown in construction activity.