Breaking Flooring News

Commerce Dept. Announces Preliminary Duties on Hardwood

Sterling, VA, January 22, 2026—"On January 16, the U.S. Department of Commerce released its preliminary affirmative countervailing duty findings on hardwood and decorative plywood after identifying significant subsidies provided by the governments of China, Indonesia, and Vietnam,” reports the Decorative Hardwoods Association.

Non-Residential Construction Spending Flat in October

Washington, DC, January 22, 2026—National nonresidential construction spending remained virtually unchanged on a monthly basis in October and was down 0.9% year over year, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data published by the U.S. Census Bureau.

WFCA Names Michelle Nix Director of Education

Dalton, GA, January 22, 2026—The World Floor Covering Association (WFCA) has appointed Michelle Nix, a 38-year training veteran of Shaw Industries, as director of education, placing one of the industry’s most experienced trainers in charge of WFCA’s education strategy.

Architecture Billings December Index Highest Since November 2024

Washington, DC, January 21, 2026-The AIA/Deltek Architecture Billings Index (ABI) closed out 2025 in negative territory with a December score of 48.5, up from 45.3 in November.

Construction Spending Rose 0.5% in October

Washington, DC, January 21, 2026-Construction spending during October 2025 was estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $2,175.2 billion, 0.5% above the September estimate of $2,164.3 billion, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Pending Home Sales Declined 9.3% in December

Washington, DC, January 21, 2026—Pending home sales in December decreased by 9.3% from the prior month and 3.0% year over year, according to the National Association of Realtors Pending Home Sales Report.

Trump Issues Exec. Order to Ban Large Investors from Buying Homes

New York, NY, January 21, 2026—"President Trump accelerated his effort to ban institutional investors from buying single-family homes, issuing an executive order Tuesday that laid out new steps to stop Wall Street home purchases,” according to the Wall Street Journal.

CARE Reports Q3 Results, Addresses Collapse of Global Plastics Recycling

Dalton, GA, January 21, 2026-CARE has announced the following results for Q3,

Shaw Commercial Announces Price Increase, Effective in February

Dalton, GA, January 21, 2026-Shaw Commercial has announced a price increase of up to 7% on select products.

Mortgage Applications Rose 14.1% in Week Ending January 16

Washington, DC, January 21, 2026—Mortgage applications increased 14.1% from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending January 16, 2026.