March 2010

• Month-on-Month

  The month-on-month growth rate of the Construction Materials Wholesale Price Index (CMWPI) in the National Capital Region (NCR) accelerated to 0.2 percent in March from -0.4 percent in February. Higher price gain was posted in the index of plywood at 0.7 percent in March from 0.5 percent in February; fuels and lubricants, 2.8 percent from -2.2 percent; reinforcing steel, 0.3 percent from -0.5 percent; and structural steel, 0.1 percent from -1.5 percent. However, price declines were correspondingly observed in the indexes of cement and asphalt at -0.1 percent and -1.1 percent. In addition, a slower price increase was noted in the index of glass and glass products at 0.5 percent from 4.1 percent. The index for G.I. sheets retained its last month's rate of 0.3 percent while price changes for the other commodity groups generally remained stable during the month.
  

• Year-on-Year

  On an annual basis, the movement in the CMWPI in NCR was still negative at -0.1 percent in March from -0.4 percent in February. Downward annual price adjustment was registered in the index of lumber (-0.9% from -0.7%); plywood (-0.4% from -1.7%); asphalt (-9.3% from -8.4%); hardware (-0.6% from -0.1%); metal pipes (-0.7% from -1.3%); reinforcing steel (-3.0% from -4.6%); and structural steel (-4.3% from -4.4%). Likewise, slower annual price add-ons were noticed in the indexes of cement, concrete products, G.I. sheets, aluminum and other metal products and exterior electrical equipment/supplies. On the other hand, annual increments were higher in the prices of fuels and lubricants, glass and glass products and electrical rough-in materials. The rest of the commodity groups retained their last month's rates while those for blasting materials and machinery and equipment rental were zero.

NOTE :

Revisions of the monthly series from December 2007 to May 2008 were made due to the updates made by the official source on machinery and equipment rental rates last June 25, 2008.

Source: National Statistics Office
Manila, Philippines

Page last revised: April 21, 2010