Manila, Sept. 16 -- The retail price index of construction materials in the National Capital Region (NCR) eased in August compared to the previous month.

Data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed that the construction materials retail price index (CMRPI) eased to 2 percent in August from 2.1 percent in July.

The PSA attributed this to the slower annual increase in the miscellaneous construction materials at 1.1 percent from 1.8 percent the previous month.

Slower annual increases were also recorded in the indices of carpentry materials and masonry materials at 0.6 percent and 2.3 percent, from 0.9 percent and 2.4 percent in July.

In a Viber message, Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation chief economist Michael Ri...