Construction input prices ease in June

The rise in the costs of construction eased in June 2005, as prices rose by just 3.5% compared with the same month of 2004.

The construction materials input price index recorded 124.4, compared with 120.22 in June 2004.

The June figure brought the total year-on-year increase in the first quarter to 5.3%, compared with 8.3% in the first quarter.

Prices of construction materials rose rapidly in 2004, by 8.2%, largely as a result of high steel prices.

The most recent data for building permits show a decline of 1.5% year on year in the number of building permits authorised in April, although the value of building permits rose by 1.4% in the same period.