Building aaterials prices up by 0.1-14.2 per cent in Q2 Compared with Q1 2013: SCAD

Abu Dhabi, July 21, 2013 (WAM) - Statistics Centre - Abu Dhabi (SCAD) issued yesterday its monthly report on the prices of building materials for the month of June and the second quarter of 2013. The report presents an analysis of the movements in the prices of the various materials used in the construction industry in Abu Dhabi retail market, comparing June 2013 prices with those of May 2013 and June 2012. It also compares prices in Q2 2013 with those prevailing in Q1 2013 and Q2 2012. The dissemination of this important report, which presents a wide range of price data, is intended to serve the needs of data users in the public and private sectors for the purposes of research, planning and decision making in ways that support the construction sector as well as related and dependent sectors. Compared with May 2013, the average prices building materials during June 2013 ranged between 0.4 per cent for "Wood" and 15.0 per cent for "Construction labour costs", while price falls ranged between 0.3 per cent for "Transport equipment rents" and 6.6 per cent for the "Sanitary ware- bathroom set with accessories". According to SCAD's report, average "construction labour costs" grew by 15.0 per cent in June compared with May 2013, reflecting rises in wages for most trades, ranging from 5.9 to 20.0 per cent. The average prices of "Power cable" decreased by 1.6 per cent in June compared with May 2013, reflecting price falls in the all items of this group. The "Paints" group increased by 1.7 per cent in June 2013, as a result of an increase in some items in this group compared with May 2013. According to SCAD's monthly report, the average price of "Wires for small buildings" and "Wires for apartments" decreased by 5.2 per cent and 0.9 per cent, respectively, while the average price of "Wires for residential towers" increased by 0.8 per cent. As the report finds, the average prices of the "(PVC) Pipes" and "(uPVC) Pipes" groups decreased by 4.6 per cent and 2.1 per cent respectively in June compared with May 2013, mainly due to the decrease in most of the items composing this groups. The average prices of the "Bathroom sets with accessories", "Stainless sinks steel with mixer-single" and "Bathroom sets without accessories" groups decreased by 6.6 per cent, 6.0 per cent and 4.7 per cent respectively during June compared with May 2013. Price falls were reported for 15 groups of building materials in June 2013 compared with June 2012. The drops ranged from 0.3 per cent for "Waterproofing products" to 13.8 per cent for "Wires for residential towers". SCAD reported a net fall in the average price of "Wires" in June 2013 compared with June 2012. "Wires for residential towers" accounted for the largest decrease (13.8 per cent), followed by "Wires for small buildings" and "Wires for apartments", which declined by 11.5 per cent and 6.2 per cent, respectively. The average prices of "Cement blocks" declined 6.8 per cent in June 2013 compared with June 2012 The average prices of "Steel" retreated by 6.5 per cent y-o-y in June 2013, as a result of increases in most of the items of this group. On the other hand, the report revealed a 19.5 per cent surge in the average price of the "Glass" group during June 2013 compared with June 2012. The "Aggregates and sand" group increased by 15.1 per cent in June 2013 compared with June 2012, due to price rises ranging between 3.7 per cent and 23.1 per cent in the component items of the group between the periods compared. Average construction labour wages increased by 36.3 per cent in June 2013 compared with June 2012, as increases of 20.0 - 66.7 per cent were recorded for some of the trades making up this group between the periods compared. The average prices of "Bathroom sets without accessories" and "Bathroom set with accessories" increased by 16.2 per cent and 3.1 per cent y-o-y respectively, during June 2013, while the average prices of the "Stainless steel sinks with mixer-single" subgroup declined by 1.4 per cent in June 2013 compared with June 2012. Changes were recorded in the average prices of most commodity groups of building materials during Q2 compared with Q1 2013. The increases ranged between 0.1 per cent for "Waterproofing products" and 14.2 per cent for the "Natural stone" group. On the other hand the average prices of "Roofing materials" and "Diesel" remained unchanged over Q2 compared with Q1 2013. Conversely, price falls were recorded for some commodity groups during in Q2 compared with Q1 2013, including "Power cables" which decreased by 6.1 per cent, "(PVC) Pipes" by 5.7 per cent, "Wires for small buildings" by 4.2 per cent and "Wires for apartments" by 3.9 per cent. Falls were recorded in the average prices of most building materials groups over Q2 2013 compared with Q2 2012, ranging between 0.1 per cent for "Paints" and 14.8 per cent for "Wires for residential towers", while "Wires for small building" increased by 9.8 per cent, "Wires for apartments" by 8.3 per cent, "(PVC) Pipes" by 7.3 per cent and "Cement blocks" by 7.2 between quarters compared. The increases observed between the aforesaid periods ranged between 1.9 per cent for "Stainless steel sinks with mixer-single" and 25.5 per cent for "Construction labour costs". However, the sanitary ware subgroup "Bathroom set without accessories" decreased by 20.4 per cent and "Glass" by 15.8 per cent. The average prices for the "Diesel" and "Roofing materials" remained stable during Q2 2013 compared with Q2 2012. SCAD's monthly report of building materials prices report surveys the prices of 21 groups of commodities and services that represent the most important materials used in the construction activity, including cement, aggregate, sand, wood, steel, concrete, cement blocks, etc. SCAD has been publishing this report since 2008. The report data are collected by the Centre's field staff on a monthly basis, in line with the directives of the emirate's leadership for the development of economic sectors and support of their stability in all areas of interest to decision makers, policy planners, researchers, etc. – Emirates News Agency, WAM