• Month-on-Month

            On a monthly basis, the retail price index of selected construction materials in NCR recorded a zero growth in February from 0.4 percent in January. Price declines were correspondingly noted in masonry, plumbing materials and miscellaneous construction materials at -0.2 percent from their respective previous month rates of 0.4 percent, zero growth and 1.3 percent. The tinsmithry materials index also dropped to -0.1 percent from 0.1 percent. Moreover, price increases in electrical and painting materials and related compounds eased to 0.1 percent from 0.2 percent and 0.6 percent, respectively. Prices of carpentry materials generally remained stable as it posted a zero growth.

            Downward price adjustments were noted in cement, GI pipes, GI sheets corrugated and steel bars during the month in review.
   

• Year-on-Year

            The annual price movement of the retail prices of selected construction materials in NCR rose to 1.6 percent in February from 1.3 percent in January. Annual increments were higher in the indexes of electrical materials at 4.0 percent in February from 3.9 percent in January; painting materials and related compounds, 1.7 percent from 1.5 percent; and tinsmithry materials, 5.3 percent from 5.1 percent. On the other hand, annual hikes in masonry materials and plumbing materials indexes correspondingly slowed down to 1.3 percent from their respective last month's rates of 1.8 percent and 3.1 percent. Meanwhile, annual decreases were still noted in carpentry and miscellaneous construction materials indexes as they continue to register negative annual rates.

Source:    National Statistics Office
                  Manila, Philippines