• Month-on-Month

  The monthly change of the retail price index of selected construction materials in NCR went up to 0.4 percent in February from -0.2 percent in January. The indices of electrical and masonry materials correspondingly increased to 0.7 percent and 0.2 percent from their respective last month's rates of -0.3 percent and -1.4 percent. The carpentry materials index retained its previous month's rate of 0.3 percent while a slower monthly gain was noted in miscellaneous construction materials index at 1.6 percent from 2.9 percent. No movement was seen in the index of plumbing materials as it posted a zero growth during the month. The rest of the commodity groups still recorded negative rates.

  Price hikes were registered in selected electrical wires and wiring devices, cement, hollow blocks and steel bars. On the other hand, price declines were seen in selected painting materials and corrugated GI sheet.
  

• Year-on-Year

  The annual increment of the retail price index of selected construction materials in NCR continued to move at a slower pace of 2.9 percent in February from 3.6 percent in January. The annual adjustment in tinsmitnry materials index further declined to -1.7 percent in February from -1.3 percent in January. Moreover, the annual uptick in carpentry materials index eased to 3.9 percent from 5.3 percent; electrical materials, 1.0 percent from 1.7 percent; painting materials and related compounds, 4.3 percent from 5.3 percent and plumbing materials index, 2.1percent from 2.5 percent. The rest of the commodity groups registered higher annual growth rates.

Source: National Statistics Office
Manila, Philippines