The latest economic report released by the American Institute of Architects signaled a continuation of expanding billings and a "slight improvement in business conditions," according to the organization. The Architecture Billings Index (ABI) score for January held steady at 51.0 compared to the (seasonally-adjusted) December score of 51.0.

New project inquiries and design contracts kept their strong momentum, reporting scores of 61.9 and 56.1 respectively.

January ABI Highlights

• Regional averages: South (61.2); Midwest (51.5); West (47.6); Northeast (46.8)
• Sector index breakdown: mixed practice (59.3); commercial/industrial (54.2); multi-family residential (50.1); institutional (47.3)
• Project inquiries index: 61.9
• Design contracts index: 56.1

"Architecture billings, while remaining at very healthy levels in recent months, have slowed considerably from the middle of last year," said AIA Chief Economist, Kermit Baker, Hon. AIA, PhD. "This no doubt reflects delays in the construction sector caused by supply challenges for both labor and materials, as well as ongoing staffing constraints at architecture firms."

Archinect Jobs, the industry-leading architecture job board, has seen a sharp increase in hiring activity in recent months. Take a look at the long list of opportunities or post your firm's openings now. To browse thousands of job seeker profiles and find the right candidates quickly, try Archinect's Talent Finder service.