• Month-on-Month

            Generally, the retail price index of selected construction materials in NCR continued to remain stable as it still recorded a zero growth rate in March. While no increments were seen in the prices of electrical materials and tinsmithry materials, price declines were registered in carpentry and masonry materials indexes at -0.1 percent from zero growth and -0.2 percent, respectively. Meanwhile, the rest of the commodity groups posted higher price increases.

            Price reductions were noted in nails, cement and gravel during the month in review.
   

• Year-on-Year

            The annual growth rate of the retail prices of selected construction materials in NCR eased to 1.4 percent in March from 1.6 percent in February. Annual price decreases were still observed in the indexes of carpentry and miscellaneous construction materials at -1.2 percent and -2.2 percent, respectively from their corresponding last monthҳ rates of -0.7 percent and -4.5 percent. Moreover, slower annual price gains were seen in the following commodity groups: electrical materials, 3.4 percent from 4.0 percent; masonry materials, 1.0 percent from 1.3 percent; and tinsmithry materials, 4.7 percent from 5.3 percent. On the other hand, annual price hike in plumbing materials index was higher at 2.6 percent from 1.3 percent while that for painting materials and related compounds remained at 1.7 percent.

Source:    National Statistics Office
                  Manila, Philippines