Construction sector sees US material price dip and Hungarian output slowdown

In the United States, construction input prices fell 1.1% in June, mirroring a 12.1% drop in crude oil, while overall construction costs remain 7.6% higher than a year earlier. Natural‑gas prices rose 16.6% and economists warn that renewed conflict in Iran and tariff‑affected metals could lift material costs later in 2026.

In Hungary, construction output volume was 10.7% lower than a year earlier, with civil‑engineering work down 21.9% and building construction down 4.2%. The decline was driven by a 46.2% fall in road and railway projects, and new contracts lagged 21.9% behind the previous year. Over the first five months of 2026, total output was 4.3% below the year‑before level.