The Construction Costs Index for the A.C. of the Basque Country registered a 0.1% rise in February 2006 with regard to the previous month, bringing the inter-annual rate for the month to 3.0%, according to EUSTAT data.

In February 2006 no variation whatsoever was registered in labour costs (0.0%), while raw material costs showed a 0.2% increase.

The sub-sectors of Building and Civil Works evolved similarly, with 0.2% growth in raw material costs compared to the previous month, both in the area of Building and that of Civil Works. The inter-annual evolution of these two sub-sectors shows them following slightly differing patterns: raw material costs for Building grew by 2.4%, while raw materials for Civil Works accumulated 2.8% growth.

In February the highest price rises were seen among the raw materials consumed by Electric Energy (3.9%), Lime, plaster and gypsum (1.6%), Metal structure work (1.5%) and Electrical apparatus and material (0.7%), among others. Conversely, there was a reduction in the prices of raw materials for Oil by-products (-0.8%), Asphalt products (-0.8%), Plastic piping (-0.7%) and Iron and steel (-0.6%), among others.

Among the prices of raw materials consumed by the sector to experience the highest rates of inflation over the twelve-month period were: Asphalt products (29.0%), Oil by-products (24.6%), Electric energy (9.5%), Worked stone (6,2%) and Artificial cement (4.5%). On the other hand, there were inter-annual price reductions (February 2006 in relation to February 2005) for raw materials of Metal piping (-5.2%), Plastic piping (-1.2%) and Iron and steel (-0.2%).

Source: EUSTAT