EPI Increases 0.2 in February

While Electrical Marketing's Price Index registered a 0.2 percent increase last month, several categories were up more than one percent: air conditioners (+1.7%); panelboards and switches (+1%); and circuit breakers (+1%). Building wire and cable (+32.4%); power wire and cable (+18.8%); and telephone wire (+10.2%) led all product categories in year-to-year increases.

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), non-metallic conduit, and generators. Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; Global Insight

Electrical Price Index — Month

1997=100Feb. 2010Jan. 2010Feb. 2009% Change1 Mo. 1 Yr. Building wire & cable 216.6 215 163.7 0.7 32.4 Power wire & cable 186.8 187.1 157.3 -0.2 18.8 Telephone wire 159.3 160.6 144.6 -0.8 10.2 Hand & power tools 115.5 115.6 116 0 -0.4 EM/bank heating 125.2 124.8 124.2 0.3 0.8 Residential lighting fixtures 121 120.8 121.6 0.1 -0.5 Industrial fixtures 116.7 116.4 118.9 0.2 -1.9 Fans & blowers 132.8 132.6 133.9 0.2 -0.9 Wiring dev. & connectors 118.1 119.1 118 -0.8 0.1 Pole line hardware 143.1 142.8 141.2 0.2 1.3 Boxes 150.9 150.6 149 0.2 1.3 Conduit fittings 124.5 124.5 124.4 0 0.1 Metal conduit & EMT 162.1 162 161.7 0 0.2 Nonmetallic conduit 131.2 131.1 130.7 0.1 0.4 Motors 132.3 132.4 133.3 -0.1 -0.8 Generators, generator sets 129.3 129.6 129.2 -0.2 0.1 Ballasts 137.7 137.7 137.7 0 0 Elect. meas. & integ. inst. 111.2 111.2 111.1 0 0.1 Transformers 121.5 121.9 121.3 -0.3 0.2 Panelboards & switches 142.5 141.1 140.3 1.0 1.6 Circuit breakers 148.9 147.5 146.6 1.0 1.6 Switchgear 154.2 154.7 151.6 -0.3 1.7 Fuses 139.2 138.8 137 0.3 1.6 Industrial controls 136 134.7 133.9 1.0 1.6 Lamps 120.3 120.4 118.8 -0.1 1.3 Appliances 101.9 102 104.3 -0.1 -2.3 Air conditioners 120.9 118.9 123.5 1.7 -2.1 Fasteners 131.4 131.7 134.9 -0.3 -2.6 Total Index 136.8 136.5 129.3 0.2 5.8