Construction prices pick up again

Prices of main input materials for the construction industry picked up again in July, rising by 4.0% compared with the same period of 2004, having risen by 3.5% in June.

Construction materials prices are a key factor that affect house prices, as builders pass on the costs to end-buyers.

For the year as a whole, construction prices seem to be easing, however.

In January-July, construction materiasl prices rose by 6.4% compared with the same period of the previous year, whereas for the whole of 2004, they rose by 8.2%.