Year-on-Year

The year-on-year change in the Construction Materials Wholesale Price Index (CMWPI) in the National Capital Region (NCR) continued to improve at 0.6 percent in April from 1.2 percent in March. The annual rate in the index for fuels and lubricants further went down to 6.7 percent in April from -5.5 percent in March. In addition, slowdowns were observed in the indices of the following commodity groups during the month: sand and gravel (2.1% from 3.0%); concrete products (1.2% from 2.0%); hardware (1.2% from 1.9%); plywood (1.5% from 1.8%); lumber (3.4% from 4.1%); reinforcing steel (3.1% from 3.3%); structural steel (2.2% from 2.6%); glass and glass products (0.8% from 0.9%); electrical works (2.1% from 2.7%); painting works (1.0% from 1.1%); and PVC pipes (0.6% from 0.9%). On the other hand, upward adjustments were noted in the indices of cement, G.I. sheet, tileworks, doors, jambs and steel casement, and plumbing fixtures and accessories/waterworks. The index for asphalt moved at its last month’s rate of 3.9 percent while the annual growth in machinery and equipment rental index was still zero.

Month-on-Month

On a monthly basis, wholesale prices of selected construction materials in NCR grew by 0.2 percent in April from -0.1 percent in March. From zero growth, the G.I. sheet index went up by 1.2 percent; lumber index, 1.0 percent; structural steel index, 0.9 percent; sand and gravel index, 0.7 percent; hardware index, 0.6 percent; electrical works index, 0.5 percent; reinforcing steel and PVC pipes index, 0.4 percent; concrete products and plywood index, 0.3 percent; painting works index, 0.2 percent; and glass and glass products index, 0.1 percent. Moreover, upward adjustments were recorded in the indices of cement (1.3% from 1.0%); doors, jambs and steel casement (1.0% from 0.2%); and tileworks (0.6% from 0.4%). However, the fuels and lubricants index continued to post a negative rate of 1.3 percent from -0.9 percent, while plumbing fixtures and accessories/waterworks index had a slower monthly movement. The indices of asphalt and machinery and equipment rental still recorded a zero growth.

Higher prices of gravel, sand, concrete products, cement, selected hardware products, plywood, lumber, G.I. sheets, angle and steel bars, tiles, glass and glass products, doors, jambs and steel casement, electrical works, some plumbing fixtures and accessories, selected paints, PVC doors and PVC pipes were observed during the month. However, downward adjustments were noted in the prices of gasoline, diesel and kerosene.