“Construction materials prices posted a welcome decline in December, yet key inputs are still experiencing rapid escalation,” said Anirban Basu, chief economist at Associated Builders and Contractors, in a statement.

“This is especially true for materials most exposed to tariffs," he added. "Copper wire and cable prices, for instance, jumped an incredible 4.6% in December and are up more than 22% year over year, and prices for primary nonferrous metals are up nearly 62% over the past 12 months.”

In addition to the materials noted by Basu, other products, such as steel mill outputs and aluminum mill shapes, have seen steep yearly price hikes of 30.5% and 17%, respectively.

“Even though these indexes are based on selling prices of domestic producers, it is clear that the steep tariffs on imported metals and products are enabling U.S. sellers to push up costs for construction materials and equipment,” said Ken Simonson, chief economist at Associated General Contractors of America, in a press release. “Construction costs are sure to rise further in 2026 as long as the current tariffs remain in place.”