Dive Brief:

• The number of nonresidential construction projects in the planning stages was down 1.3% in June, according to the Dodge Momentum Index by Dodge Data & Analytics.

• Fewer jobs in the pipeline now will show up as lower construction spending this time next year.

• The greatest loss of momentum was in the commercial building sector, which fell 2.6% on the index in June. The institutional sector, on the other hand, rose 0.6% in June — its second consecutive month of increases.

Dive Insight:

The index has shown what Dodge analysts called "lackluster performance" since the beginning of the year. The June numbers, while down slightly from May, represent just a 2.2% increase from June 2014.

Still, the outlook for the rest of the year is positive, the researchers said. "Real estate market fundamentals remain favorable" and point to a rebound in plans for new commercial buildings later this year, they wrote in a statement.