Sand unit price index rises 0.1 to 14.9pct nationwide in July

In July 2026, the unit price index of sand in Malaysia rose slightly, ranging from 0.1 per cent to 14.9 per cent nationwide, according to the Statistics Department. Terengganu and Kelantan experienced the highest increase, with indices of 14.9 per cent. Kota Kinabalu in Sabah and Penang, Kedah, and Perlis also saw notable increases of 4.1 per cent and 2.8 per cent, respectively.

Steel prices followed a similar trend, with a 0.6 per cent to 0.9 per cent increase month-over-month, with Perak leading the rise at 0.9 per cent. Cement prices also saw a modest increase, ranging from 0.2 per cent to 0.8 per cent across all areas in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, and Sarawak, with Perak registering the highest at 0.8 per cent.

On a year-on-year basis, steel prices increased between 0.5 per cent and 8.4 per cent, with Perak again showing the most significant rise at 8.4 per cent. Cement prices also saw an upward trend, ranging from 0.9 per cent to 7.5 per cent annually, with Perak leading once more. Meanwhile, the average price of steel declined slightly by 0.2 per cent month-over-month, with the average price per tonne of mild steel round bars and Mycon 60 high-tensile deformed bars settling at RM3,499.50.

In contrast, the average price of Ordinary Portland cement remained unchanged at RM25.70 per 50-kilogramme bag. The Building Material Cost Index (BCI) saw varied increases for steel bars, ranging from 0.1 per cent to 1.4 per cent month-over-month in July 2026, with Sabah experiencing a slight decline and Sarawak seeing an increase.

Sarawak's BCI with steel bars rose between 0.2 to 1.3 per cent MoM, while in Peninsular Malaysia, it saw a rise of between 0.1 per cent and 1.4 per cent MoM across all building categories.