Construction cost index in July remains flat on the year.

TIRANA, August 28؁lbania’s construction cost index remained flat on the year in the second quarter of 2009 but was 0.1% lower than the first quarter Albania’s National Statistics Institute (INSTAT) said. The index measured 128.4 points in the second quarter. It measured 100 in the base fourth quarter of 1999.
Albania’s construction cost index for the first quarter was 0.4% lower than the fourth quarter of 2008 but was 0.9% higher on the year.
The “Direct Expenditures” index group decreased by 0.2 percent against the previous quarter. The highest decrease of 0.4 percent was noticed in the subgroup “Machinery fees”.
The index of “Material Expenditures” subgroup decreased by 0.3 percent due to the decrease in construction material prices by 0.3 percent, as well as increased prices of electric materials by 2.9 percent. “Transport fees” price indexes increased by 0.2 percent while the index of “Machinery fees” decreased by 0.4 percent.
Compared with the previous quarter, changes in price indexes of other groups ranged from 0.3 percent to 2.5 percent.