PPI: May’s Glass and Glazing Materials Prices Change Little from April

The not seasonally adjusted prices for materials used in glass and glazing manufacturing did not change dramatically in May 2020 compared to April, according to the latest Producer Price Index (PPI) from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

In May, the monthly PPI for flat glass in the commodity category is up 0.1% from the previous month, but is up 1.5% from May 2019. According to the BLS, the commodity classification “organizes products and services by similarity or material composition, regardless of the industry classification of the producing establishment.

The May index for flat glass manufacturing in the industry classification fell 0.4% from April 2020. It’s down 0.1% on a year-over-year basis. The industry classification measures “changes in prices received for the industry’s output sold outside the industry (that is, its net output).”

Prices for fabricated structural metal products have increased 0.1% from last month’s PPI report. That index, in the commodity grouping, is down 0.7% from a year ago. The index for ornamental and architectural metal product manufacturing, in the industry category, was unchanged from April to May 2020. It has experienced a 3% jump since May 2019.

The PPI for metal windows increased 0.3% from the April 2020 index. It has climbed 3.3% compared to the May 2019 report. The price for metal doors and frames is up a slight 0.2% from April 2020. The category is up 1.4% for the year.

The cost of builders’ hardware, including that used in glass and glazing, was unchanged from April’s report but saw a 2.2% increase compared to the May 2019 report.

Monthly and Yearly Change in Glass and Glazing Material Prices