But companies are now taking action and raising prices.
Fitch said that it believed that industry participants will have varying degrees of success in realising and sustaining recently announced pricing increases. Industries that have significant excess capacity may find it difficult to sustain higher prices.
Volume comparisons will likely continue to be uneven for building products in the next few quarters as demand varies across construction markets, it said.
Fitch expects building products used in the residential construction market will see tough comparisons during first half of the year 2011 and then ease during the second half of the year.
Building materials directed toward public infrastructure spending are likely to realise moderately higher shipments this year due in part to somewhat improved state budgets as well as continued spending from stimulus-funded projects.
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