January 2008

• Month-on-Month

  The retail prices of selected construction materials in NCR went up to 0.5 percent in January compared to zero growth in December. Prices of all the construction materials were registered upward movements during the month except for plumbing materials whose index posted a zero growth from 0.2 percent. Prices of carpentry materials and masonry materials increased by 0.2 percent in January from their respective December rates of zero growth and 0.1 percent; electrical materials, 2.1 percent from -0.1 percent; painting materials and related compounds, 2.3 percent from -0.4 percent; tinsmithry materials, 0.5 percent from 0.1 percent; and miscellaneous construction materials, 1.3 percent from -0.3 percent.

  Upward adjustments were generally observed in the prices of nails, selected electrical wires, cement, gravel, sand, paints and related compounds, sand paper and plain round steel bars.
  

• Year-on-Year

  The year-on-year growth rate of the retail prices of selected construction materials picked up to 3.3 percent in January from 2.7 percent in December. Annual growth rate was higher in carpentry materials at 1.1 percent in January from 0.9 percent in December; electrical materials, 4.9 percent from 2.9 percent; painting materials and related compounds, 4.2 percent from 2.4 percent; timsmithry materials, 0.3 percent from zero growth; and miscellaneous construction materials, 10.0 percent from 8.4 percent. On the other hand, the index of masonry materials still moved at its last monthÒ³ rate of 3.1 percent while the index of plumbing materials registered slower annual positive growth rate.

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  Source: National Statistics Office
  Manila, Philippines

  Page last revised: July 8, 2008