The preliminary value for the April CE Plant Cost Index (CEPCI; the most recent available) rose compared to the previous month’s value, making it the seventh straight month of increasing values. The gain in the overall PCI was driven by significant jumps in several categories within the Equipment subindex, such as Pipes, Valves and Fittings and Heat Exchangers & Tanks. The Buildings and Engineering & Supervision subindices increased slightly in April, while the Construction Labor subindex declined by a small margin. The preliminary overall monthly CEPCI value for April 2017 stands at 5.4% higher than the corresponding value from April 2016. Meanwhile, the latest Current Business Indicators (CBI) saw the CPI Output Index for May edge upward slightly.
Current economic trends: April CEPCI
| By Scott Jenkins