EM’s Electrical Price Index (EPI) saw a slight dip in March, primarily due to drops in electrical test instruments (-1.6%) and air conditioners (-2.7%). Residential lighting equipment (+1.1%) and lamps (+2%) were the two biggest gainers. Building wire (-3.2%) and Power Wire & Cable (-2.2%) saw bigger drops in the year-over-year data, as did telephone equipment (-3.9%) and air conditioners (-2.1%).
Note: All EPI series represent Global Insight aggregates of Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) producer price indices (PPIs). The revised data partly reflect redefinitions of specific PPIs by the BLS, but mostly reflect the rebenchmarking of all EPI price series to a 1997 base year. The four following EPI series have been affected by BLS redefinitions: boxes, conduit (fittings), nonmetallic conduit, and generators. Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; Global Insight