U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics economists report that two staples in construction — cement and gypsum — have shown price increases of 15.4% and 17.4%, respectively, over the past six years. They are among six key products categorized under “Durable Manufacturing Materials” (cement) and “Construction Materials” (gypsum) in the BLS 2001 Producer Price Index for Finished Goods study. A December Concrete Products report charts pricing trends for cement and gypsum, both of which have seen unprecedented capacity upgrades during the 1996-2001 period reflected in the study.