EPI Index Jumps 1.2 Percent in March

April 23, 2010
Led by a 4.2 percent increase in building wire, EM's Price Index increased 1.2 percent in March. Building wire is up 36.4 percent YTY. The EPI is now

Led by a 4.2 percent increase in building wire, EM's Price Index increased 1.2 percent in March. Building wire is up 36.4 percent YTY. The EPI is now up 7 percent year-to-year. Other products that up more than one percent were telephone equipment (+3.1%); panelboard and switches (+1.9%); circuit breakers (+1.9%); industrial controls (+1.9%); and fuses (1.5%).

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

Electrical Price Index — Month

1997=100Mar. 2010Feb. 2010Mar. 2009% Change1 Mo. 1 Yr. Building wire & cable 225.7 216.6 165.4 4.2 36.4 Power wire & cable 187.2 186.8 142.3 0.2 31.6 Telephone 164.2 159.3 146 3.1 12.5 Hand & power tools 115.5 115.5 116 0 -0.4 Elec. heating equip. 125.1 125.2 124.2 -0.1 0.8 Residential lighting 121.2 121 121.6 0.2 -0.3 Industrial fixtures 117.1 116.7 119 0.4 -1.6 Fans & blowers 133 132.8 133.5 0.2 -0.4 Wiring devices & connectors 119.1 118.1 117.2 0.8 1.6 Pole line hardware 143 143.1 141.1 0 1.3 Boxes 150.9 150.9 148.9 0 1.3 Conduit fittings 124.5 124.5 124.4 0 0.1 Metal conduit 162.1 162.1 161.7 0 0.2 Nonmetallic conduit 131.2 131.2 130.7 0 0.4 Motors 132.8 132.3 133.3 0.4 -0.3 Generators 130.1 129.3 129.4 0.6 0.5 Ballasts 137.7 137.7 137.7 0 0 Elect. meas. & integ. inst. 111.2 111.2 111.1 0 0.1 Transformers 121.8 121.5 121.5 0.2 0.3 Panelboards & switches 145.2 142.5 140.2 1.9 3.6 Circuit breakers 151.7 148.9 146.5 1.9 3.6 Switchgear 155.6 154.2 154 0.9 1.0 Fuses 141.3 139.2 138 1.5 2.4 Industrial controls 138.6 136 133.8 1.9 3.6 Lamps 120.4 120.3 118.1 0.1 2.0 Appliances 100.5 101.9 104.8 -1.4 -4.1 Air conditioners 120.6 120.9 123.5 -0.3 -2.4 Fasteners 131.7 131.4 133.7 0.3 -1.5 Total Index 138.4 136.8 129.4 1.2 7.0