Building Material Price Growth Stalls in August

National Association of Home Builders Prices paid for goods used in residential construction decreased 0.8% in August, according to the Producer Price Index (PPI) from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Building material prices have decreased an average of 0.1% over the past 12 months and prices have risen 2.0% in the 2019 calendar year, significantly behind the growth rate generated from January to August in 2018. The PPI reported prices for softwood lumber fell for the fourth time in five months. Softwood lumber prices are 11.6% lower than they were in 2018. The price indexes for lumber and plywood, goods used in residential maintenance and repair, and prepared asphalt and tar roofing products changed -1.2%, -0.8%, and +0.3%, respectively, over the month.