Year-on-Year

The annual growth in the Construction Materials Wholesale Price Index (CMWPI) in the National Capital Region (NCR) went up to 2.4 percent in March from to 2.2 percent in February. Contributing to the uptrend were higher annual gains posted in the following indices: sand and gravel (4.1% from 3.5%); concrete products (2.8% from 2.7%); plywood (1.4% 1.2%); G.I sheet (5.8% from 5.4%); reinforcing steel and painting works (0.9% from 0.8%); tileworks (4.8% from 4.7%); electrical works (2.5% from 2.3%); and fuels and lubricants (1.6% from 0.8%). The rest of the commodity groups either had slower annual increments or retained their February rates. Asphalt and machinery and equipment rental indices had zero rates.

Month-on-Month

On a monthly basis, the CMWPI in NCR moved at its February rate of 0.1 percent. Upward adjustments were noted in the indices of sand and gravel at 0.6 percent in March from 0.2 percent in February; tileworks, 0.4 percent from 0.1 percent; reinforcing steel, 0.2 percent from -0.4 percent; and structural steel and doors, jambs and steel casement, 0.1 percent from their corresponding last month’s rates of -0.2 percent and -0.1 percent. From a zero growth, the plumbing fixtures and accessories/waterworks and electrical works indices also advanced to 0.7 percent and 0.2 percent, respectively. On the other hand, slower monthly rates were seen in the indices of concrete products, hardware and G.I. sheet while that for fuels and lubricants index declined by 0.1 percent from 0.3 percent growth. Movements in the other commodity groups remained at their last month’s rates while the rest had zero growth.

Price mark-ups were registered in gravel, sand, some concrete products, plywood, selected hardware items, G.I. sheets, angle bars, tiles, plumbing fixtures and accessories, paints and some electrical works. Meanwhile, diesel and fuel oil were priced lower during the period.