July PPI a Mixed Bag After Increases in June

The prices (seasonally unadjusted) for materials used in glass and glazing manufacturing were a mixed bag in July 2020 after nearly across-the-board increases in June, according to the latest Producer Price Index (PPI) from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

In July, the monthly PPI for flat glass in the commodity category is down 0.1% from the previous month, but is up 1.2% from July 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 July index for flat glass manufacturing in the industry classification increased 0.4% from June 2020. It’s up 0.5% 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 decreased 0.5% from last month’s PPI report. That index, in the commodity grouping, is down 1.4% from a year ago. The index for ornamental and architectural metal product manufacturing, in the industry category, was unchanged from June to July 2020. It has experienced a 1.1% jump since July 2019.

The PPI for metal windows was unchanged from the June 2020 index. It has climbed 3.3% compared to the July 2019 report. The price for metal doors and frames also is unchanged from June 2020. The category is up 1.4% for the year.

The cost of builders’ hardware, including that used in glass and glazing, fell 0.3% from the June 2020 report but saw a 2% increase compared to the July 2019 report.

Monthly and Yearly Change in Glass and Glazing Material Prices