In February, prices paid for gypsum products decreased a seasonally adjusted 5.1 percent, continuing the overall downward trend since August 2018, per the latest BLS data.
Since the start of 2018, gypsum prices paid have dropped 8.6 percent, and 9.8 percent since August 2018. Prices have decreased month over month every month except from November 2018 to December 2018. Overall, prices paid for residential construction materials grew 0.8 percent in February 2019, the first uptick in five months, though not seasonally adjusted, according to the National Association of Home Builders.
Diesel fuel prices rose 7.2 percent in February, snapping a two-month trend during which prices fell 30.0 percent. Prices remain much lower than their most recent peak, but transmission to building materials prices (if any) by means of lower freight costs is unlikely to be seen in the data until March. Prices paid for ready-mix concrete decreased 0.5 percent. The current index reading of 271.4 is its lowest since April 2018.
Advertisement
Related Stories
Market Data + Trends
Vacation and Investment Home Market Insights
A recent report finds beach homes to be the most sought-after vacation-home type and that the investment potential of a second home is an important factor in the purchasing decision
Affordability
How Much Income Do First-Time Buyers Need to Afford the Average Home?
The median-priced home is unaffordable in 44 of the 50 largest U.S. metro areas
Affordability
What Is the Relationship Between Urban vs. Suburban Development and Affordability?
A new paper from Harvard's Joint Center looks at whether expanding the supply of suburban housing could, in turn, help make dense urban areas more affordable