August 2007

• Month-on-Month

  The Construction Materials Wholesale Price Index (CMWPI) in the National Capital Region (NCR) registered a decline of -0.1 percent in August from 0.2 percent growth in July. This can be attributed to the decreases in the prices of cement at -0.1 percent from 0.2 percent; plywood, -0.3 percent from zero growth; hardware, -0.2 percent from 0.7 percent; and structural steel, -0.8 percent from 1.3 percent. On the other hand, the group's indices for fuels and lubricants and tileworks were correspondingly higher at 1.8 percent and 1.0 percent from 0.3 percent and zero growth, respectively. Prices for the rest of the commodity groups generally remained stable as they posted zero growth during the month.
  

• Year-on-Year

  The annual inflation of the CMWPI in NCR at 3.3 percent in August was the same rate recorded in July. Annual corresponding price adjustments in reinforcing steel and tileworks were at 5.1 percent and 1.3 percent from their respective July rates of 3.6 percent and 0.8 percent. Slower annual inflation rates were however noticed in the prices of sand, stone and gravel, lumber, hardware, metal pipes, plumbing fixtures, paints, structural steel and electrical rough-in materials. Meanwhile, annual price decreases were seen in plywood, fuels and lubricants, exterior electrical equipment/supplies, and interior electrical fixtures and devices. The rest of the commodity groups retained their previous month's rates while those for asphalt, blasting materials and machinery and equipment rental were still zero.

  ---

  Source: National Statistics Office
  Manila, Philippines

  Page last revised: September 14, 2007