April 2023
Chart:

Summary:
The AVP Pulse Index for April – brought to you by Rock Products and Allen-Villere Partners – ticked up slightly by +0.6%, maintaining the steady flattening observed a couple of months ago, and where we believe the index will remain for the foreseeable future. This increase reflects a healthy Construction Materials Industry and demonstrates the start of an uptick from the seasonally slower months in the winter. Interestingly, it is the housing market leading this upward trend with monthly increases of 9.8% in new housing starts and 2.0% in the NAHB / Wells Fargo Housing Market Index. Both housing starts and the NAHB / Wells Fargo Housing Market Index have returned to levels not seen since August and September, respectively.