The preliminary value for the CE Plant Cost Index (CEPCI) for February 2021 (the most recent available) indicates another large monthly rise, the fifth consecutive monthly increase. The large uptick in February seems to be tied largely to significant increases in producer prices for steel products, including carbon steel sheets, plates and bars. These increases resulted in higher values for the both the Equipment and Buildings subindices. The Construction Labor and Engineering & Supervision subindices actually both saw small decreases in February. The current CEPCI value now sits at 7.2% higher than the corresponding value from February 2020. The Current Business Indicators showed a small decline in the CPI Output Index for March.
2021 CEPCI updates: February (prelim.) and January (final)
| By Scott Jenkins