Not so much fun: Billings Index reports a stall

Certainly not as fun as a slinky: The AIA's Architecture Billings Index (ABI) most recent reports show a stall in an economic recovery. The May ABI rating was 42.9, hardly an improvement on 42.8 in April. On the upside, the new projects inquiry score was 55.2, the third straight month of a score in the 50s. Of note:

- The most recent regional averages: Northeast at 48.3; Midwest at 41.5; South at 41.3; and West at 39.4 (Anything over 50 indicates in increase in billings)

- Averages by sector: Multi-family residential reported 45.5; mixed practice, 44.5; commercial/industrial, 43.1; and institutional, 38.0