Glass Prices Retreat 23.2 percent in June compared with May 2011

SCAD’s Monthly Building Materials Report Released:

Statistics Centre - Abu Dhabi (SCAD) issued today its monthly
report on the prices of building materials for the month of June
2011. The report presents an analysis of the movements in the
prices of the various materials used in the construction industry in
Abu Dhabi market during June and the second quarter 2011. The
dissemination of the report, which presents a wide range of price
data, is intended to serve the needs of data users in the public
and private sectors in research, planning and decision making in
ways that support the construction sector, besides related and
dependent sectors.

Prices of building materials in June 2011 compared with May
2011

According to SCAD’s report, the prices of several building
materials groups have undergone changes during June 2011
compared with May 2011, with the largest drop recorded in the
average prices of the "Glass” group, which plummeted 23.2
percent, followed by falls in the prices of “Bathroom Set without
Accessories” and “Stainless Steel Sink with Mixer-Single”, which
declined by 10% each.

On the other hand, the average price of the “Aggregates & Sand”
group climbed 26 percent in June 2011, as all items within this
group registered price increases in the range of 11 - 50 per cent.
In addition, the prices of “Steel” advanced 4 per cent, mainly as
a result of a 9 per cent increase in the price of “Steel / Bars, 6

- 8 mm / Ton / Turkey” and an 8 per cent increase in the price
of “B.R.C. Mesh / 8m.m (252) / Piece /U.A.E.”. The next largest
rise was in the prices of the “Paints” group, which rose by 3.6 per
cent on average, mainly as a result of a 14 per cent increase in the
price of “Durosan matt emulsion /Gallon /U.A.E”.

Prices of building materials in June 2011 compared with June
2010

As SCAD’s report reveals, the prices for “Power cable” increased
by 44.1 per cent in June 2010 compared with June 2011, reflecting
a rise of 67 percent in the price of “CU 132kv/ 1*800 mm2/Km”,
while the remaining items within this group increased by 33 per
cent. The second largest was in the average rents of “transport
equipment”, which advanced 37 per cent as a result of an increase
in the rent of “Trucks of capacity 20 m3” by 52 per cent. In
addition, the prices of “Aggregates & Sand” rose by 29.8 percent
and “Wires for apartments” by 26 percent.

SCAD’s analysis of building materials prices in June 2011
compared with June 2010 points to a steep fall in the average
price of the “Glass” group, which retreated by 33 percent as a
result of a decrease in the price of “Tinted Glass / 6m.m / m2 /
S.Arabia” by 43 percent and “Mirror Glass / 4 mm / m2 / S.Arabia”
by 39 percent .

Prices of building materials for Q2 2011 compared with Q1
2011

The reports also analyzes the average prices of building materials
during Q2 2011 compared with Q1 2011, revealing increases that
ranged from 0.5 percent for “(PVC) Pipes” and 18.2 percent for
the “Paints” group.

The average prices for “Diesel” and “Natural stone” remained
generally stable during the second quarter, compared with the first

By contrast, the prices of a number of other groups declined in
Q2 compared with Q1 2011, led by the drop in the average price
of “Glass”, which decreased by 7 percent, reflecting a drop of 14
percent in the price of “Mirror Glass / 4 mm / m2 / S.Arabia”. The
next largest falls were recorded in the prices of “Power cable”
(down 3 percent), “Concrete” (down 2.8 percent) and “Cement”
(down 2.1 percent).

Prices of building materials for Q2 2011 compared with Q2
2010

SCAD also reported rises in the average prices of fifteen out of
21 building materials groups during Q2 2011 compared with Q2
2010. The sharpest rise was recorded in the rents of transport
equipment, which shot up 39.1 percent as a result of rises in
rents for excavators of capacity 330-290 m3 and loaders 966.
Another drastic rise was recorded in the price of “Power cable”,
which advanced 38.5 percent as a result of increases of 28 – 60.6
percent in the prices of this group. “Wires for residential towers”
increased by 32.6 percent during the period in question.

The comparison also reveals that average price retreated by 1 –
12.9 percent for a number of groups during Q2 2011 compared
with Q2 2010, with the largest fall recorded in prices of the “Glass”
group, which declined by 12.9 percent, as a result of falls in the
prices of “Mirror Glass / 4 mm / m2 / S.Arabia” and “Tinted Glass /
6m.m / m2 / S.Arabia” by 24 and 18 percent, respectively. “Cement
blocks” and “Concrete” recorded the next largest falls during this
period, retreating by 8.5 percent, and 7.3 percent, respectively.

SCAD’s report monitors the prices of 21 groups of building

SCAD’s monthly report of building materials prices report surveys
the prices of 21 groups of commodities and services that represent
the most important materials used in the construction activity,
including cement, aggregate, sand, wood, steel, concrete, cement
blocks, etc.

SCAD has published this report since 2008. The report data are
collected by the centre’s field staff on a monthly basis, in line with
the directives of the emirate’s leadership for the development
of economic sectors and support of their stability in all areas of
interest to decision makers, policy planners, researchers, etc.