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SCAD’s monthly building materials report released

ABU DHABI - Statistics Centre - Abu Dhabi (SCAD) issued today its monthly report on the prices of building materials for the month of May 2011.

The report presents an analysis of the movements in the prices of the various materials used in the construction industry in Abu Dhabi market during May 2011, compared with April 2011 and May 2010. The dissemination of the report, which presents a wide range of price data, is intended to serve the needs of data users in the public and private sectors in research, planning and decision making in ways that support the construction sector, besides related and dependent sectors.

The report analyses the month-to-month changes in the average prices of building materials groups, showing that several of them declined during May 2011, compared with April 2011.The largest drop was recorded in “power cables, which fell 3.6%, followed by the “cement” and the “paints” groups (down 3.0% each). The fall in the average prices of the cement group is attributed to a 12.1% decrease in the price per ton of Omani gypsum, while the decline in the average price of paints can be traced to a drop of in the price per gallon of (Fenomastic plastic emulsion/Emirates) and (Durosan matt emulsion /Emirates) by 10.5% and 6.7%, respectively.

On the other hand the prices of “electrical wires for buildings” by increased 2.3% during May 2011 due to an increase in the price per 50 meters of 4-core electrical wire by 7.5%. The next largest rise was reported for the price UPVC pipes, which advanced 2.1%, while the prices of other building materials remained stable during the period referred to.

SCAD’s report indicates a 35.7% rise in the average rents of “transport equipment” during May 2011 compared with May 2010, due to varying increases in the prices of the items falling under this group .The next largest monthly y-o-y increase was in the prices of the “wires for apartments” group, which, which shot up 32.1%, reflecting a rise of 37% in the price of “single core electrical wires/ 6mm/Ducab/UAE”, in addition to an increase in the average price of the “power cables” group by 31.4%.

However, the prices of the concrete group declined by 7.3% as a result of the 7.4% drop in the price of “sulphate resistant ready-mix/Newton 40”. On the other hand the average prices of “cement blocks”, “natural stone” and “PVC pipes” remained stable during May 2011 compared with May 2010.

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 published 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.