The wholesale price index registered an increase of 7.1% in May, while the cost of construction advanced 7.2% compared to the previous month, reported yesterday the National Institute of Statistics and Censuses (INDEC).
In this way, wholesale prices accumulate a rise of 37.1% in the first five months of the year and 107.6% in the last 12 months, while the cost of construction presented increases of 36.9% and 115, 1%, respectively.
With these indicators, the INDEC concluded the dissemination of the indices related to the evolution of prices in May that began on Wednesday when it announced last month’s inflation, which marked a rise of 7.8%.
The increase in wholesale prices in May was driven by a rise of 4.5% in Primary Products, 7.5% in Manufactured Products, 8.5% in Imported Products, and 17.1% in the cost of electrical energy.
Meanwhile, the general level of the construction cost index (ICC) in Greater Buenos Aires registered a rise of 7.2% compared to the previous month, as a consequence of the 7.8% rise in the prices of Materials, 6.8% in the Labor category and 6.9% in the General expenses item.
Regarding the wholesale prices, among the Primary Products, the increases of 0.9% in Agricultural Products stood out; 30.8% in Fisheries; 7% in Non-metallic Minerals, linked to construction, and 8.1% in Crude Oil and Gas.
Among manufactured products, the Food and Beverages category increased 7.4%; Tobacco 13.3%; Textiles 7%; Rubber and Plastic 8.1%; Basic Metallics 8.5%; Machines and Equipment 9.9%; and motor vehicles 6.3%, among others.
So far this year, and with an average rise of 37.1%, Agricultural Products registered a rise of 37.5%, fishing 64.8%; Crude oil and gas 34.7%.
Manufactured products showed increases of 37.4% for Food and Beverages; 46.6% in tobacco; 27.4% in Textiles; 24.6% for Refined petroleum; 35.7% in Chemicals; 38.87% for Rubber and Plastic; 41.25% in machinery and equipment; 37.8% in vehicles, among others. While Electric Power rose 52.6% and imported 50.2%.
Regarding the construction sector, during May there was an increase in Wooden kitchen furniture, with 13.9%; Lighting devices and electric intercom, 12.3%; Fire equipment 11.5%; Iron pipes and accessories 10.6%; Copper, lead and tin products 10.4% and with a 10% increase in metallic elements for sanitary and electrical installation, Glass, together with Medium and low voltage cables and conductors.
For its part, the 36.9% rise in the Cost of Construction during the first five months of the year was driven by a 35.3% rise in Materials, 38.7% in General Expenses, while the value of Labor increased 38.1%.
In this last segment, salaried labor increased 37.6% so far this year.
Source: Ambito
