The most accessible single-source resource on construction material price movements is the Producer Price Index (PPI) data set from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The PPI series monitors prices charged by producers as they exit through factory gates.
One drawback of a government statistical series, however, is that it will inevitably lag what is occurring in the real world, due to a time delay in collecting and tabulating results. For example, the latest PPI figures are for May. Therefore, they don’t factor in some of the decreases in final demand (e.g., some possible moderation in housing start activity) and increases in supply (e.g., more sawmill production of lumber) that may, according to ‘word of mouth’, be taking place.
Nevertheless, the PPI numbers are the best that’s available and the remainder of this article showcases them in tables and charts.
For 15 of the most important building materials or construction-related inputs, Table 1 highlights year-over-year and latest-three-months price changes.
