EPI Index for March Slides 0.5 Percent

In an unusual pricing twist, building wire (-4.2%) and power wire (+4.5%) were mixed in March. Pricing for these products usually move in lock-step and is affected by dramatic swings in the cost of copper. No other products declined more than one percent in March, while telephone equipment, air conditioners and electric heating equipment increased the most, after power cable.

Electrical Price Index — March 2011

MarFebMar% Change1997=100 2011 2011 2010 1 Mo. 1 Yr. Building Wire & Cable 228.6 238.7 223.2 -4.2 2.5 Power Wire & Cable 225.4 215.7 189 4.5 19.3 Telephone 178.8 173 162.3 3.4 10.1 Hand & Power Tools 115.8 116.2 115.6 -0.3 0.2 Elec. Heating Equip. 128 124.9 124.5 2.4 2.8 Residential Lighting 123.2 122.2 121 0.9 1.8 Industrial Fixtures 118.6 118.6 117.4 0.0 1.0 Fans & Blowers 137.6 136.3 133.0 1.0 3.5 Wiring Devices & Connectors 122.8 122.6 119.6 0.2 2.6 Pole Line Hardware 149.4 148.3 143.1 0.7 4.3 Boxes 157.5 156.5 151.0 0.7 4.3 Conduit Fittings 125.1 125 124.5 0.1 0.5 Metal Conduit 163.4 163.1 162.1 0.1 0.8 Nonmetallic Conduit 132.9 132.6 131.2 0.2 1.3 Motors 142.4 141.7 132.5 0.5 7.5 Generators 137.5 135.7 129.9 1.3 5.9 Ballasts 137.7 137.7 137.7 0.0 0.0 Elect. Meas. & Integ. Inst. 111.2 111.2 111.2 0.0 0.0 0.0Transformers 125.6 125.5 121.8 0.1 3.2 Panelboards & Switches 148 148.3 144.8 -0.2 2.3 Circuit Breakers 154.7 155 151.3 -0.2 2.3 Switchgear 158.7 155.6 155.1 2.0 2.3 Fuses 144 142.8 140.8 0.9 2.3 Industrial Controls 141.3 141.6 138.2 -0.2 2.3 Lamps 121.7 121.7 120.4 0.0 1.1 Appliances 103.4 103.4 102.8 0.0 0.6 Air Conditioners 119.2 116.1 120.0 2.6 -0.7 Fasteners 137 136.3 134.8 0.5 1.6 Total Index 141.7 142.4 138.3 -0.5 2.5