Year-on-Year

The annual growth in the wholesale prices of selected construction materials in the National Capital Region (NCR) based on the Construction Materials Wholesale Price Index (CMWPI) rose 2.9 percent in August from 2.2 percent in July. This was effected by the higher annual increment in cement index at 3.5 percent in August from 0.9 percent in July; lumber index, 4.3 percent from 3.9 percent; G.I sheet index, 2.0 percent from 1.9 percent; reinforcing steel index, 3.9 percent from 3.3 percent; structural steel index, 4.6 percent from 4.2 percent; glass and glass products index, 0.7 percent from 0.6 percent; doors, jambs and steel casement index, 3.8 percent from 3.7 percent; and fuels and lubricants index, 1.5 percent from -2.5 percent. Meanwhile, slowdowns were posted in the annual hikes of the following indices: sand and gravel (7.1% from 7.6%); plywood (2.9% from 3.4%); tileworks (3.0% from 3.8%); electrical works (4.9% from 5.1%); painting works (3.8% from 4.8%); and PVC pipes (2.1% from 2.4%). The annual changes in the other commodity groups remained at their last month's rates while that for machinery and equipment rental was still zero.

Month-on-Month

Compared with July, the monthly adjustment in the CMWPI in NCR advanced to 0.6 percent in August from 0.1 percent. The upward movement was due to the corresponding monthly increases in the indices of fuels and lubricants and sand and gravel at 4.1 percent and 0.2 percent in August from zero growth in July. In addition, the cement index went up 1.5 percent from 0.1 percent. Slower monthly add-on was however seen in reinforcing steel index at 0.3 percent from 0.4 percent and glass and glass products, 0.1 percent from 0.2 percent. The monthly movement in the rest of the commodity groups was zero while the indices for plywood and PVC pipes retained their respective last month's rates of 0.1 percent and 0.2 percent.

Gasoline, diesel, cement, gravel, plywood, steel bars, hardware, glass and glass products and some concrete products were generally priced higher during the month.