EPI Index Up 0.3 Percent in April

Wire and cable prices took a breather in April, as the EPI for building wire was unchange last month and the EPI for power wire and cable droped 2.9 percent. Lamps (+4%); air conditioners (+3%); residential lighting (+2.3%); telephone products (+1.8%); and industrial fixtures (+1.3%) were the big gainers this month. The RPI for electric heating products was down two percent.

Electrical Price Index — April 2011

1997=100AprilMarchApril% Change2011 2011 2010 1 Mo. 1 Yr. Building Wire & Cable 228.5 228.6 229.1 0 -0.2 Power Wire & Cable 218.8 225.4 192.3 -2.9 13.8 Telephone 182.1 178.8 163.8 1.8 11.2 Hand & Power Tools 115.9 115.8 116 0 -0.2 Elec. Heating Equip. 125.4 128 123.9 -2.0 1.2 Residential Lighting 126.1 123.2 121.2 2.3 4.0 Industrial Fixtures 120.1 118.6 117.4 1.3 2.3 Fans & Blowers 137.8 137.6 133 0.1 3.5 Wiring Devices & Connectors 123 122.8 120.2 0.2 2.4 Pole Line Hardware 150.7 149.4 143.7 0.9 4.8 Boxes 158.9 157.5 151.6 0.9 4.8 Conduit Fittings 125.2 125.1 124.5 0.1 0.5 Metal Conduit 163.6 163.4 162.2 0.2 0.9 Nonmetallic Conduit 133.2 132.9 131.4 0.3 1.4 Motors 142.9 142.4 132.9 0.4 7.5 Generators 137.9 137.5 130.1 0.3 6.1 Ballasts 137.7 137.7 137.7 0 0 Elect. Meas. & Integ. Inst. 111.2 111.2 0 0 0 Transformers 125.9 125.6 121.9 0.2 3.3 Panelboards & Switches 148.4 148 144.9 0.2 2.4 Circuit Breakers 155.1 154.7 151.4 0.2 2.4 Switchgear 159 158.7 155.3 0.2 2.3 Fuses 144.3 144 141 0.2 2.3 Industrial Controls 141.6 141.3 138.3 0.2 2.4 Lamps 126.7 121.7 122.2 4.1 3.7 Appliances 103.2 103.4 102.9 -0.2 0.3 Air Conditioners 122.7 119.2 120.3 3.0 2.0 Fasteners 137.4 137 135.4 0.3 1.5 Total Index 142.1 141.7 139.3 0.3 2.0

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