Year-on-Year

The year-on-year increase in the Construction Materials Wholesale Price Index (CMWPI) in the National Capital Region (NCR) slowed down to 1.6 percent in October. Last month and in October 2013, it was recorded at 1.8 percent. The 4.3 percent annual drop in the index of fuels and lubricants primarily brought about the downtrend. In addition, a slower annual hike of 3.0 percent was seen in the tileworks index during the month. Meanwhile, higher annual increments were noted in the indices of twelve commodity groups with plumbing fixtures and accessories index registering the highest annual rate of 7.3 percent. The concrete products index retained its previous month’s growth of 2.6 percent and doors, jambs and steel casement index, 1.6 percent. No movements were still posted in the indices of asphalt and machinery and equipment rental.

Month-on-Month

On a monthly basis, wholesale prices of selected construction materials in NCR decreased by 0.2 percent as the fuels and lubricants index further went down by 2.8 percent. Moreover, the monthly gain in plumbing fixtures and accessories index eased to 0.3 percent. However, higher upward adjustments were posted in the indices of concrete products, cement, hardware, lumber, G.I. sheet, structural steel, glass and glass products, electrical works and PVC pipes. The indices of sand and gravel and plywood moved at their last month’s rates while a zero growth was noticed in the indices of reinforcing steel, tileworks, door, jambs and steel casement, painting works, asphalt and machinery and equipment rental.

The series of price rollbacks in gasoline, diesel and fuel oil were observed during the month. Meanwhile, higher prices were registered in cement, gravel, G.I. sheets, lumber, plywood, steel bars, some hardware items, glass products, electrical wires and PVC pipes.