August sees slight glass price rise

Flat glass prices moved up slightly in August, but year-over-year increases continue to settle, according to the latest Producer Price Index (PPI) report released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Prices increased 0.2 percent last month after a 0.6-percent increase in June and July combined. August’s is the sixth month-over-month increase for the year. The material’s index is up 3.9 percent from August 2015—as a comparison, the year-over-year increase reached 7.7 percent in May.

According to the BLS, the PPI program measures the average change over time in the selling prices received by domestic producers for their output. The prices included in the PPI are from the first commercial transaction for many products and some services.

Final demand for construction was unchanged for the month after decreasing by 0.6 percent in July.

Prices for materials and components for construction were up 0.2 percent for the month, 0.8 percent over the last three months and 1 percent from the same time last year.

Construction and machinery prices ticked up 0.2 percent in August after two straight months of stagnation. That index is up 0.8 percent from a year ago.

In another report, import prices for glass and glassware fell 0.2 percent and are down 0.1 percent for the year. Export prices in the category remained unchanged for the second straight month, though they are up 0.8 percent since August 2015.

Overall, the PPI for final demand was unchanged in August, seasonally adjusted. Final demand prices declined 0.4 percent in July and rose 0.5 percent in June. On an unadjusted basis, the final demand index was unchanged for the 12 months ended in August.

U.S. import prices declined 0.2 percent for the month after ticking up 0.1 percent in July. Prices for U.S. exports decreased 0.8 percent in August following a 0.2-percent increase in July.