The Bureau of Labor Statistics released Tuesday the Producer Price Indexes for March, reporting that inflation in prices received by producers increased 0.2 per cent in March after a string of monthly declines. The overall increase was led by increasing prices for energy, mainly gasoline. Prices for services rose 0.1 per cent.
As for building materials, prices for gypsum and wood products declined in March. Softwood lumber prices declined 1.6 per cent following the same decline in February.
Prices for OSB continued their slide, declining 0.3 per cent in March contributing to the reversal of most of the sharp run-up from 2012 and early 2013. The PPI for OSB indicates a 46 per cent decline from the price peak in March 2013.
Prices for gypsum slipped 3.2 per cent in March after gains in January and February.
Even with the March decline gypsum prices remain comfortably (and inexplicably) above housing boom highs in comparison to prices for wood products and the industry adjustments made for those materials.