U.S. Prices for Glass and Construction Materials Increase from May 2011-12, Reports Bureau of Labor Statistics
June 13, 2012

by Erica Terrini, eterrini@glass.com

Flat glass prices increased 1.4 percent from May 2011-12 while construction material prices also rose 2.7 percent during the same 12 month period, according to the monthly Producer Price Index (PPI) report report released by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Flat glass prices from April to May showed no change following a decrease of 0.1 percent from March to April. The price of construction materials increased 0.1 percent in from April to May after a 0.3 percent increase from March to April, reports the DOL.

According to the DOL's U.S. Import and Export Price Indexes report, import prices for glass and glassware has increased 1.1 percent from April to May following no change from March to April, with an overall increase of 3.7 percent from May 2011-12. Export prices for glass and glassware were reported by the DOL to have no change from April to May following a decrease of 0.3 percent from March to April and an overall decrease of 0.9 percent from May 2011-12.

Glass and glassware products include float glass, safety glass, lab glass and a range of other glass items, according to information from the International Price Program office in Washington, D.C.

The DOL reported U.S. import prices for selected building materials rose 1.5 percent from April to May after a 0.5 percent increase from March to April and an increase of 4.4 percent over the last year. Export prices were reported by the DOL to have decreased 0.3 percent from April to May following a 0.4 percent increase from March to April and an increase of 0.8 percent from May 2011-12.

Selected building materials include mainly construction glass materials, such as plate and sheet glass, in addition to wood products according to an International Price Program official.

Overall, U.S. import prices decreased 1.0 percent in May after no change the previous month. Lower fuel and nonfuel prices each contributed to the May decrease in overall import prices. U.S. export prices also declined in May, falling 0.4 percent after a 0.4 percent increase in April.

The price index for overall imports fell 1.0 percent in May, the largest one-month drop since the index declined 1.2 percent in June 2010, according to the release. Prices for U.S. imports also decreased over the past 12 months, falling 0.3 percent, the first year-over-year decline for the index since import prices fell 5.6 percent between October 2008 and October 2009. The decrease over the May 2011-12 period was led by lower fuel prices, which more than offset an increase in nonfuel prices, according to the report.

Fuel prices fell 4.2 percent in May, the largest monthly drop for the index since a 5.1- percent decrease in May 2010, according to DOL. The price index for import fuels declined 3.9 percent over the past year after rising 43.7 percent for the year ended May 2011. The decline over the past year was the largest 12-month drop in fuel prices since the index fell 14.2 percent for the October 2008-09 period.

Prices for nonfuel imports edged down 0.1 percent in May, the first monthly decline since the index fell 0.2 percent in November 2011. The May decrease followed increases of 0.2 percent in April and 0.5 percent in March. Despite the May decline, the price index for nonfuel imports rose 1.0 percent over the past year.

Export prices fell 0.4 percent in May after increasing 2.0 percent over the first four months of 2012. Overall export prices edged down 0.1 percent between May 2011 and May 2012, the first 12-month drop in the index since a 3.6 percent decrease for the year ended October 2009.