Year-on-Year

The annual growth of the construction materials retail price index (CMRPI) in the National Capital Region (NCR) advanced 0.7 percent in February from 0.5 percent in January. A higher annual increase was noted in the index of carpentry materials at 0.9 percent in February from 0.3 percent in January; electrical materials index, 0.8 percent from 0.4 percent; and painting materials and related compounds index, 0.3 percent from -0.7 percent. On the other hand, slower annual increments were correspondingly recorded in the indices of masonry materials and tinsmithry materials at 0.1 percent and 5.6 percent from their respective last month’s rates of 1.0 percent and 5.9 percent. Annual declines were still posted in the indices of plumbing materials at -0.1 percent from -0.2 percent and miscellaneous construction materials, -4.4 percent from -2.1 percent.

Month-on-Month

The CMRPI in NCR moved at its January rate of -0.2 percent. The index of masonry materials dropped by 0.7 percent in February from 0.8 percent, tinsmithry materials index, -0.4 percent from 0.8 percent; and miscellaneous construction materials index, -2.8 percent from -0.4 percent. Higher annual gains were however seen in the following commodity groups: carpentry materials index, 0.4 percent from -0.2 percent; painting materials and related compounds index, 0.2 percent from -0.4 percent; and electrical materials and plumbing materials indices, 0.1 percent from -0.7 percent and -0.3 percent, respectively.

Lower price quotations were generally observed in cement, gravel, sand, corrugated GI sheets and steel bars. Meanwhile, prices of selected common wire nails, sand paper, solid electrical wires and plumbing fittings went up during the month.