For the second consecutive month, construction material prices increased although they are still 3.6 percent lower than March of 2014

The largest monthly increase in more than two years in the prices of construction materials occurred in March as the overall index rose 0.8 percent according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This also marks two consecutive months of increases after declines in the six months prior.

In spite of the increases, material prices are still down 3.6 percent on a year-over-year basis, as were the numbers from the three months before March, which is the most consecutive monthly year-over-year decrease since 2009.

The main price increases occurred to fabricated structural metal products, which increased 0.4 percent for the month and 1.3 percent on a year-over-year basis, and natural gas, which increased 1.5 percent in March, but is still down 45.3 percent from March 2014.