Construction Materials Prices Drop Again in December
The amount contractors pay for a range of key construction materials edged down 0.2% in December but climbed 5.3% from a year earlier, according to an analysis of producer price index figures recently released by the Associated General Contractors of America.
Meanwhile, the amount contractors charge to construct projects remained largely flat for the month and is up only between 3.3% and 4.7% for the year, cutting into contractor earnings and adding to the challenges the hard-hit industry is facing, association officials said.