Construction input prices remained unchanged on a monthly basis in October but are down 2.2% year-over-year, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Producer Price Index data released today. Nonresidential construction input prices fell 0.1% for the month and are down 2.0% compared to the same time last year.
Falling energy prices accounted for much of the year-over-year price decline. Among the eight subcategories that decreased, the most significant were in natural gas (-31.8%), crude petroleum (-29.8%) and unprocessed energy materials (-26.3%). Monthly natural gas prices, however, were up 7.7% from September, likely due in part to seasonal factors.
