Year-on-Year

The year-on-year change of the Construction Materials Wholesale Price Index (CMWPI) in NCR was registered at 2.2 percent in December, the same rate posted last month. The annual gains in the following indices increased during the month: concrete products, 2.7 percent from 2.5 percent; reinforcing steel, 2.9 percent from 2.8 percent; sand and gravel, 5.5 percent from 5.2 percent; lumber, 4.3 percent from 4.2 percent; plumbing fixtures and accessories/waterworks, 1.3 percent from 1.2 percent; G.I. sheet, 2.8 percent from 2.5 percent; and asphalt, 5.1 percent from 1.2 percent. On the other hand, the fuels and lubricants index further declined by 1.6 percent from -1.5 percent. The machinery and equipment rental index still had a zero growth while the rest of the commodity groups either had a slower annual rate or moved at their previous month's rate.

The annual average growth rate of the CMWPI in NCR for the year 2012 eased to 3.7 percent from 7.6 percent in 2011. It resulted from the deceleration in the annual average increment of the concrete products index at 3.3 percent in 2012 from 6.1 percent in 2011; hardware index, 3.7 percent from 4.1 percent; plywood index, 4.8 percent from 10.2 percent; lumber index, 4.5 percent from 9.1 percent; G.I. sheet index, 2.0 percent from 2.1 percent; reinforcing steel index, 4.3 percent from 7.9 percent; structural steel index, 5.6 percent from 8.2 percent; glass and glass products index, 0.8 percent from 1.8 percent; doors, jambs and steel casement index, 4.1 percent from 5.9 percent; electrical works index, 5.8 percent from 7.2 percent; plumbing fixtures and accessories/waterworks index, 1.8 percent from 4.3 percent; fuels and lubricants index, 3.5 percent from 16.7 percent; and asphalt index, 7.0 percent from 15.1 percent. However, the annual average uptick in the sand and gravel index grew by 8.3 percent from 7.3 percent; cement index, 0.1 percent from -3.1 percent; painting works index, 4.8 percent from 4.7 percent; and PVC pipes index, 2.3 percent from 1.4 percent. The annual average rate in tileworks index remained at its last year's rate of 4.1 percent while that for machinery and equipment rental index was zero.

Month-on-Month

On a monthly basis, the CMWPI in NCR rose 0.1 percent in December from -0.2 percent in November. From zero growth, the asphalt index went up by 3.9 percent; concrete products index, 0.2 percent; and hardware index, 0.1 percent. Moreover, upward adjustments were recorded in the indices of tileworks (0.6% from 0.5%); doors, jambs and steel casement (0.3% from 0.2%); and electrical works (0.4% from 0.3%). Meanwhile, slowdowns were noted in the indices of sand and gravel, cement, lumber, G.I. sheet, reinforcing steel and plumbing fixtures and accessories/waterworks. The other commodity groups had zero growth.

Prices of asphalt, cement, sand, selected hardware items, lumber, G.I. sheets, steel bars, door jambs, electrical works and paints were on the uptrend while gasoline, kerosene and diesel oil were priced lower during the month.