Month-on-Month

The Construction Materials Wholesale Price Index (CMWPI) in the National Capital Region (NCR) posted a zero growth in September from a -0.1 percent drop in August as prices of items in the ten (10) commodity groups remained stable during the month. On the other hand, increases were observed in the prices of sand, stone and gravel at 0.2 percent in September from 0.1 percent in August; cement, 0.7 percent from -0.1 percent; plywood and hardware, 0.4 percent from -0.4 percent and 0.3 percent, respectively; metal pipes, 4.4 percent from 0.5 percent; structural steel, 0.5 percent from -0.4 percent; electrical rough-in materials, 2.2 percent from 2.0 percent; concrete products and G.I. sheets, 0.2 percent from zero growth. Price add-ons were slower in lumber, fuels and lubricants, paints, reinforcing steel and interior electrical fixtures and devices. Movement in prices of plumbing fixtures remained at its August rate of 0.3 percent.
 

Year-on-Year

The annual inflation rate of the CMWPI in NCR slowed down to 5.7 percent in September from 5.9 percent in August. Lower annual rates were seen in the prices of the following commodity groups: fuels and lubricants, 15.1 percent from 24.7 percent; glass and glass products, 3.0 percent from 5.0 percent; reinforcing steel, 6.8 percent from 7.2 percent; and interior electrical fixtures and devices, 16.4 percent from 16.6 percent. In addition, annual price adjustments of structural steel continued to drop at -3.4 percent. In August the index went down by -3.8 percent. However, adjustments in the prices of most of the commodity groups were higher while movement in the prices of blasting materials and machinery and equipment still registered zero growth. The rest of the commodity groups retained their previous month�s rates.

Source: National Statistics Office
Manila, Philippines

Page last revised: November 15, 2006