The June 2016 preliminary value for the CE Plant Cost Index (CEPCI; the most recent available) ticked lower than the previous month, reversing the direction from the May value, but continuing a general lowering trend over the past several months. The Equipment subindex fell, while the other subindices rose slightly. The preliminary June 2016 CEPCI value is 3.1% lower than the corresponding value from June last year. Meanwhile, the latest Current Business Indicators (CBI) for July 2016 showed a small increase in the CPI output index compared to the previous month. Producer prices for industrial chemicals fell in July, while the June value for the CPI value of output index increased slightly from the previous month.
Current economic trends
| By Scott Jenkins