Ziarul Financiar reported that the prices of steel concrete and cement in Romania have shrank over the past weeks by 40% to 50% as compared to the peak season because of the crisis on the real estate market and unfavorable weather and new reductions are expected in the upcoming period, however not similarly spectacular.

Mr Laurentiu Plosceanu president of Romanian Association of Construction Entrepreneurs said that "Because of the decrease in the demand for construction materials over the past weeks, the price of steel concrete halved. The prices grew strongly in the peak season, when the demand outstripped the offer and producers could not cover the demand and suppliers speculated through the steep rise in prices. I predict the price of steel concrete will continue to go down by some 10% to 15% until March 2009, when it is expected to remain steady."

During summer the producers of cement and construction materials could not cope with the demand and final customers had to wait even three weeks to receive the order. The least affected were the materials for finishing, such as plaster board, which went down by only 15%.