July was a quiet month for the Electrical Price Index (EPI), with the overall index sliding 0.1% and the Air Conditioners product category (-1.2%) showing the only month-to-month change of more than 1%. The year-over-year data showed a bit more movement with a 0.6% decline from July, 2015. The wire and cable categories (Building Wire & Cable (-2.5%) and Power Wire & Cable (-5.5%) led the decline.
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