May plywood price index up 1.6% from previous month
Indices for cement and steel unchanged from April in nearly all areas of the country: Statistics Dept
PUTRAJAYA: The unit price index of plywood recorded an increase of 1.6% in May 2024 compared to the previous month for almost all areas in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak.
Chief Statistician Malaysia, Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the unit price index of aggregates recorded an increase between 0.2% and 1.7% for almost all areas in May 2024 compared to the previous month.
The highest increase was in Perak (1.7%), followed by Penang, Kedah & Perlis (0.8%) and Selangor, W.P. Kuala Lumpur, Malacca, & Negri Sembilan (0.2%).
Mohd Uzir said that the monthly comparison of steel showed that the unit price index remained unchanged for almost all areas in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak.
He added that there was a slight increase in price index of steel in Kuching (1%) and Kota Kinabalu (0.2%).
Meanwhile, the unit price index of these materials recorded a slight decrease in Penang, Kedah & Perlis (-0.1%) and Tawau (-0.2%).
The monthly comparison of cement showed that the unit price index remained unchanged for almost all areas in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak in May 2024. However, there was a slight increase for these materials price index in Terengganu & Kelantan (0.5%) and Perak (0.4%).
An annual comparison for the period of May 2023 and May 2024 showed that the unit price index of cement rose between 0.4% and 3% for all areas in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak.
The highest increase was in Penang, Kedah & Perlis (3%), followed by Selangor, W.P. Kuala Lumpur, Malacca & Negri Sembilan (2.6%), and Terengganu & Kelantan (2.4%).
An annual comparison of the average price per unit of steel recorded a decrease between negative 0.3% and negative 5.2% compared to the same month last year.
However, there was a slight increase for these materials price index in Johor (0.7%).
Mohd Uzir said that the average price per unit of steel, consisting of mild steel round bars and Mycon 60 high tensile deformed bars recorded an increase (0.7%) with an average price of RM3,730.46 per metric tonne compared to the previous month (April 2024: RM3,702.88 per metric tonne).
Meanwhile, the average price of cement (Ordinary Portland) recorded a marginal rise (0.1%) with an average price of RM23.04 per 50 kg bag as compared to April 2024 (RM23.01 per 50 kg bag).
The month on month of BCI with steel bars for all building categories in May 2024 increased between 0.1% to 1.2% for almost all areas in Peninsular Malaysia. However, there was a slight decrease between negative 0.1% and negative 0.2% for BCI with steel bars for Timber Building and Timber Piling in Selangor, W.P Kuala Lumpur, Malacca and Negri Sembilan.
BCI with steel bars in Sabah also showed a slight increase, which was between 0.1% and 0.3% for almost all building categories in Kota Kinabalu except for single-storey steel frame (Building) and single-storey steel frame (Tower only).
BCI with steel bars in Sandakan showed a slight decrease between negative 0.1% and negative 0.3% for timber building, timber piling and piling (Reinforced Concrete) in May 2024 compared to the previous month. Meanwhile, the index for almost all others building categories in Tawau showed a slight decrease (-0.1%).
A monthly comparison of BCI with steel bars in Sarawak for May 2024 registered an increase between 0.1% and 0.5% for almost all categories of buildings in Kuching.
BCI with steel bars for almost all others building categories in Sibu and Miri was unchanged.