Australia and Ghana see building cost inflation climb

In Australia, the ABS Producer Price Index shows building materials prices rose 3.8% year‑on‑year to June 2026, with cement up 4.9%, electrical equipment up 12.1% and steel falling 1.2%. Master Builders Australia attributes the pressure to the escalating Middle East conflict, noting that home‑building costs are now over 50% higher than before the pandemic and urging the government to boost local manufacturing and maintain imported material flows.

In Ghana, the Prime Building Cost Index reported a modest rise in overall building cost inflation to 3.1% in June 2026, up from 2.7% in May, while the monthly index fell 0.1%. Building materials contributed 3.9% year‑on‑year inflation and 76.5% of the index basket, but equipment costs surged 16% year‑on‑year, becoming the biggest risk. Labour costs declined, cement prices fell 13% and steel fell 8.6%, helping temper broader price pressures.