• Month-on-Month

  The Construction Materials Wholesale Price Index (CMWPI) in the National Capital Region (NCR) recorded a slower rate of increment at 0.1 percent in February from 0.5 percent in January. This can be attributed to the negative growth rates observed in the following commodity groups: fuels and lubricants (-4.4% from 0.4%); interior electrical fixtures and devices (-0.3% from -0.1%); plywood (-0.1% from -1.5%), electrical rough-in materials (-0.1% from -0.9%), and paints at -0.1 percent, same rate last month. In addition, price increase in cement slowed to 0.5 percent from 0.8 percent. On the other hand, higher growth rates were correspondingly noted in the prices of hardware and reinforcing steel at 0.9 percent and 0.3 percent from 0.2 percent. From zero growth, prices of PVC pipes and aluminum and other metal products went up to 0.9 percent and 3.6 percent, respectively. Prices for the rest of the commodity groups generally remained stable as they registered zero growth this month.
   

• Year-on-Year

1. The annual inflation rate of the CMWPI in NCR eased to 4.4 percent in February from 5.0 percent in January. Annual price decreases were correspondingly seen in plywood and fuels and lubricants at -0.6 percent and -3.5 percent from zero growth and 5.1 percent, respectively. Likewise, annual price hikes were slower in sand, stone and gravel, lumber, wood products, glass and glass products, paints, reinforcing steel, exterior electrical equipment/supplies, interior electrical fixtures and devices and electrical rough- in materials. Higher annual gains were however noticed in the prices of PVC pipes, concrete products, G.I. sheets, and aluminum and other metal products. The rest of the commodity groups retained their previous month�s rates while inflation for asphalt, blasting materials and machinery and equipment rental continued to post a zero growth.

Source: National Statistics Office
Manila, Philippines

Page last revised: April 10, 2007