Month-on-Month

The Construction Materials Wholesale Price Index (CMWPI) in the National Capital Region (NCR) registered a 0.5 percent growth in January from 0.2 percent in December. The price of lumber went up by 2.3 percent in January from 0.5 percent last month; fuels and lubricants, 0.4 percent from -0.3 percent; glass and glass products, 1.6 percent from -0.4 percent; and reinforcing steel, 0.2 percent from -0.3 percent. Moreover, prices of wood products and tileworks correspondingly increased to 0.5 percent and 0.6 percent during the month from zero growth. However, price increments were slower in sand, stone and gravel and G.I. sheets at 0.5 percent and 2.0 percent, respectively from their corresponding last month�s rates of 0.8 percent and 4.0 percent. Negative growth rates were observed in plywood, metal pipes, concrete products, paints, structural steel, exterior electrical equipment/supplies, interior electrical fixtures and devices, and electrical rough-in materials. Price hike in cement was still at 0.8 percent while prices for the rest of the commodity groups remained stable as they posted a zero growth during the month.
 

Year-on-Year

The annual inflation rate of the CMWPI in NCR slowed down to 5.0 percent in January from 5.4 percent in December. This can be attributed to the slower annual price additions of the twelve (12) commodity groups. Meanwhile, higher annual gains were seen in the prices of sand, stone, and gravel, fuels and lubricants, glass and glass products, metal pipes, PVC pipes, paints, reinforcing steel, and G.I. sheets. The rest of the commodity groups retained their last month�s rates while inflation for plywood, asphalt, blasting materials and machinery and equipment rental was zero.

Source: National Statistics Office
Manila, Philippines

Page last revised: April 10, 2007