US construction materials prices rise in September; hot-rolled steel bars, plates and structural shapes up 3.0% m/m

Published: Oct 16, 2026 17:22 (GMT+8)

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The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) said seasonally adjusted construction materials prices rose 0.5% m-o-m in September, with the intermediate demand index for construction components and materials up 5.7% y-o-y. Processed goods for intermediate demand rose 2.5% m-o-m after 1.8% and were 14.1% higher y-o-y; seasonally adjusted CPI-U gained 0.6% m-o-m and 3.7% y-o-y. Hot-rolled steel bars, plates and structural shapes rose 3.0% m-o-m and 17.3% y-o-y, and stood 71.2% above the pre-COVID average (Dec 2019-Feb 2020), up 8.0% over four months. Copper wire and cable added 0.8% m-o-m and 34.2% y-o-y, the largest annual gain tracked, and was 104.8% above pre-COVID. Power wire and cable rose 2.2% m-o-m; softwood lumber fell 2.0% m-o-m but gained 14.2% y-o-y; soft plywood rose 2.3% m-o-m and 20.4% y-o-y.

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