The May 2016 preliminary value for the CE Plant Cost Index (CEPCI; the most recent available) is higher than the previous month, with the Equipment and Buildings indices rising by a significant amount. The preliminary May 2016 CEPCI value is 3.0% lower than the corresponding value from May last year. The year-over-year difference continues to decline as the values approach those from a year ago. Meanwhile, the latest Current Business Indicators (CBI) for June 2016 showed a small decrease in the CPI output index compared to the previous month. Producer prices for industrial chemicals edged higher in June and the May number for the CPI value of output index also increased slightly from the previous month.
Current Economic Trends
| By Scott Jenkins