• Month-on-Month

            The monthly change of the retail price index of selected construction materials in NCR inched up to 0.4 percent in December from 0.2 percent in November. The increments in masonry materials, miscellaneous construction materials and plumbing materials indices were correspondingly higher at 0.3 percent; 2.5 percent and 0.6 percent from their respective previous month's rates of 0.1 percent and 0.2 percent. The same November rate of 0.2 percent was observed in electrical materials index while the tinsmithry materials index remained stable as it's group index noted a zero growth rate. The rest of the commodity groups have slower monthly rates during the month in review.

            Price hikes were noted in cement, selected sanitary fixtures and steel bars. On the other hand, price reduction was however observed in corrugated GI sheet.
   

• Year-on-Year

            The same rate of 4.1 percent was still observed in the annual growth rate of the CMRPI. The annual price movement in carpentry materials index was higher at 5.1 percent in December from 4.9 percent in November; masonry materials, 1.8 percent from 1.6 percent; painting materials and related compounds, 6.4 percent from 6.3 percent; tinsmithry materials, 1.3 percent from 1.2 percent and miscellaneous construction materials, 11.6 percent from 9.0 percent. Annual uptick was however slower in electrical materials index at 2.5 percent from 3.1 percent. The annual change in plumbing materials index remained at 2.2 percent.

Source:    National Statistics Office
                  Manila, Philippines