On a monthly basis, the Retail Price Index of Selected Construction Materials in NCR slightly went up to 0.1 percent in January from -0.6 percent in December. A higher growth was noted in carpentry materials index at 0.2 percent in January from 0.1 percent in December; painting materials and related compounds, 0.1 percent from zero growth and miscellaneous construction materials, 0.8 percent from -3.5 percent. Price increment in masonry materials index was at its previous month�s rate of 0.2 percent while that of tinsmithry materials remained stable as its index continued to post a zero growth during the month. The rest of the commodity groups still recorded negative growth rates.

The month-on-month growth rate of the retail prices of selected construction materials in NCR continued to drop at -2.4 percent in November from -4.8 percent in October. Prices of carpentry materials declined to -0.2 percent in November from 0.3 percent in October; electrical materials, -0.6 percent from 0.4 percent; tinsmithry materials, -0.1 percent from zero growth; and miscellaneous construction materials -11.4 percent from -20.3 percent. Moreover, price increase in painting materials and related compounds was slower at 0.5 percent from 1.0 percent. On the other hand, higher price hike was observed in plumbing materials at 0.2 percent from 0.1 percent while prices of masonry materials remained stable as the group's index registered a zero growth during the month.

The month-on-month growth rate of the retail prices of selected construction materials in NCR further went down to -2.3 percent in September from -0.2 percent in August. Prices of carpentry materials and miscellaneous construction materials correspondingly dropped by -0.3 percent and -9.9 percent in September from their respective last month's rates of 0.9 percent and -2.9 percent. Moreover, the price increase in tinsmithry materials slowed down to 0.2 percent from 0.7 percent. The rest of the commodity groups registered higher price increments.