The Industrial Product Price Index (IPPI) was down 0.3% in November compared with October, mainly as a result of lower prices for petroleum and coal products. The Raw Materials Price Index (RMPI) fell 1.9%, primarily because of lower prices for mineral fuels, specifically crude oil.

Industrial Product Price Index, monthly change

The IPPI declined for the second consecutive month in November. The decrease of the index accelerated slightly in November, as the decline was 0.1% in October. The IPPI has decreased in six of the last seven months.

The decline of the IPPI in November was mainly attributable to petroleum and coal products (-2.8%), where a majority of the products, especially gasoline (-4.3%) and fuel oils and other fuel (-2.7%), posted price decreases. The IPPI excluding petroleum and coal products rose 0.2%.

Among other groups that decreased was primary metal products (-0.6%), particularly copper and copper alloy products and nickel products.

The IPPI decline was moderated by an increase in motor vehicles and other transportation equipment (+0.8%), primarily because of higher prices for motor vehicles. The decrease of the Canadian dollar against the US dollar in November was largely responsible for this advance.

Some Canadian producers who export their products report their prices in US dollars. Consequently, the 1.0% depreciation of the Canadian dollar relative to the US dollar in November could have the effect of increasing the corresponding prices in Canadian dollars. Without the measurable impact of the exchange rate, the IPPI would have fallen 0.5% instead of 0.3%.

Lumber and other wood products (+0.8%) also contributed to moderating the IPPI decline in November. The increase was mostly a result of lumber and ties.

Industrial Product Price Index, 12-month change

Compared with November 2011, the IPPI was down 0.5%, its fourth consecutive year-over-year decrease.

The downward pressure on the index came mainly from petroleum and coal products (-2.6%), notably as a result of lower prices for fuel oils and other fuel. The IPPI excluding petroleum and coal products declined 0.2% on a year-over-year basis.

Primary metal products (-3.6%) also contributed to the year-over-year IPPI decrease. Lower prices for aluminum products and other non-ferrous metal products were responsible for this decline.

Motor vehicles and other transportation equipment (-1.3%) posted its third consecutive year-over-year decrease. The decline was primarily a result of the appreciation of the Canadian dollar against the US dollar compared with November 2011.

The 2.9% year-over-year increase in the value of the Canadian dollar relative to the US dollar may decrease the IPPI. Without the measurable impact of the exchange rate, the index would have edged up 0.1% instead of falling 0.5%.

The year-over-year decline in the IPPI was moderated mostly by lumber and other wood products (+8.6%). Also up were fruit, vegetable, feeds and other food products (+3.2%) as well as meat, fish and dairy products (+1.1%).

Raw Materials Price Index, monthly change

In November, the RMPI (-1.9%) posted its first decrease in five months, with three of the seven commodity groups down.

Chart 2 
Prices for raw materials decrease

Chart description: Prices for raw materials decrease

CSV version of chart 2

The decline of the index was mainly attributable to lower prices for mineral fuels (-3.1%), specifically crude oil (-3.4%), which decreased for the first time since June. The RMPI excluding mineral fuels fell 0.7% in November.

Downward pressure on the RMPI was also exerted by non-ferrous metals (-3.2%), especially copper and nickel concentrates (-6.0%) and non-ferrous metal scrap (-3.4%).

Conversely, the RMPI decline was moderated primarily by animals and animal products (+1.7%) and ferrous materials (+1.5%).

Raw Materials Price Index, 12-month change

Compared with November 2011, the RMPI was down 8.2%, its ninth consecutive year-over-year decrease.

The decline of the index was almost entirely a result of mineral fuels, specifically crude oil (-15.9%). The RMPI excluding mineral fuels fell 0.7% on a year-over-year basis.

The RMPI was also pulled downward by non-ferrous metals (-3.2%), as a result of lower prices for radioactive concentrates (-22.7%).

The year-over-year decline of the RMPI was moderated slightly by wood products (+5.1%) and vegetable products (+3.4%).

Note to readers

All data in this release are seasonally unadjusted and usually subject to revision for a period of six months (for example, when the July index is released, the index for the previous January becomes final).

The Industrial Product Price Index (IPPI) reflects the prices that producers in Canada receive as the goods leave the plant gate. It does not reflect what the consumer pays. Unlike the Consumer Price Index, the IPPI excludes indirect taxes and all the costs that occur between the time a good leaves the plant and the time the final user takes possession of it, including the transportation, wholesale, and retail costs.

Canadian producers export many goods. They often indicate their prices in foreign currencies, especially in US dollars, which are then converted into Canadian dollars. In particular, this is the case for motor vehicles, pulp, paper and wood products. Therefore, a rise or fall in the value of the Canadian dollar against its US counterpart affects the IPPI. But the conversion into Canadian dollars only reflects how respondents provide their prices. This is not a measure that takes the full effect of exchange rates into account.

The conversion of prices received in US dollars is based on the average monthly exchange rate (noon spot rate) established by the Bank of Canada, and it is available on CANSIM in table 176-0064 (series v37426). Monthly and annual variations in the exchange rate, as described in the release, are calculated according to the indirect quotation of the exchange rate (for example, CAN$1 = US$X).

The Raw Materials Price Index (RMPI) reflects the prices paid by Canadian manufacturers for key raw materials. Many of those prices are set on the world market. However, as few prices are denominated in foreign currencies, their conversion into Canadian dollars has only a minor effect on the calculation of the RMPI.

Table 1
Industrial Product Price Index - Not seasonally adjusted
November 2011 October 2012r November 2012p October to November 2012 November 2011 to November 2012
% (2002=100) % change
Industrial Product Price Index (IPPI) 100.00 115.5 115.2 114.9 -0.3 -0.5
IPPI excluding petroleum and coal products 93.70 107.3 106.9 107.1 0.2 -0.2
Aggregation by commodities
Meat, fish and dairy products 6.08 108.6 110.7 109.8 -0.8 1.1
Fruit, vegetable, feeds and other food products 5.52 125.8 130.0 129.8 -0.2 3.2
Beverages 1.52 122.7 123.9 123.9 0.0 1.0
Tobacco and tobacco products 0.56 172.9 177.9 177.9 0.0 2.9
Rubber, leather and plastic fabricated products 3.51 119.8 121.4 121.7 0.2 1.6
Textile products 1.37 104.4 103.4 103.5 0.1 -0.9
Knitted products and clothing 1.33 101.6 103.7 103.7 0.0 2.1
Lumber and other wood products 6.04 88.1 94.9 95.7 0.8 8.6
Furniture and fixtures 2.19 116.4 117.9 117.9 0.0 1.3
Pulp and paper products 6.40 101.2 99.3 99.8 0.5 -1.4
Printing and publishing 1.84 104.9 104.9 105.1 0.2 0.2
Primary metal products 6.99 148.4 143.9 143.0 -0.6 -3.6
Fabricated metal products 4.45 125.0 123.0 123.6 0.5 -1.1
Machinery and equipment 4.41 105.4 106.1 106.3 0.2 0.9
Motor vehicles and other transport equipment 24.34 78.9 77.3 77.9 0.8 -1.3
Electrical and communications products 5.02 93.6 92.8 93.3 0.5 -0.3
Non-metallic mineral products 2.07 118.2 118.3 118.3 0.0 0.1
Petroleum and coal products 6.30 238.7 239.3 232.5 -2.8 -2.6
Chemicals and chemical products 7.19 138.4 135.4 135.5 0.1 -2.1
Miscellaneous manufactured products 2.60 124.3 124.0 124.0 0.0 -0.2
Miscellaneous non-manufactured products 0.30 285.0 246.2 236.9 -3.8 -16.9
62.15 124.0 123.5 123.2 -0.2 -0.6
7.56 143.0 137.3 136.5 -0.6 -4.5
54.60 121.4 121.6 121.3 -0.2 -0.1
37.85 101.5 101.6 101.4 -0.2 -0.1
Finished foods and feeds 7.12 118.7 120.2 120.0 -0.2 1.1
Capital equipment 12.19 88.1 87.1 87.6 0.6 -0.6
All other finished goods 18.54 103.7 104.0 103.3 -0.7 -0.4
1.

The relative importance is based on the annual 2002 values of production.

2.

Intermediate goods are goods used principally to produce other goods.

3.

First-stage intermediate goods are items used most frequently to produce other intermediate goods.

4.

Second-stage intermediate goods are items most commonly used to produce final goods.

5.

Finished goods are goods most commonly used for immediate consumption or for capital investment.

Table 2
Raw Materials Price Index - Not seasonally adjusted
November 2011 October 2012r November 2012p October to November 2012 November 2011 to November 2012
% (2002=100) % change
Raw Materials Price Index (RMPI) 100.00 177.3 165.9 162.8 -1.9 -8.2
RMPI excluding mineral fuels 58.56 149.9 150.0 148.9 -0.7 -0.7
Mineral fuels 41.44 216.4 188.5 182.6 -3.1 -15.6
Vegetable products 9.89 145.1 152.3 150.1 -1.4 3.4
Animal and animal products 19.81 125.5 121.1 123.1 1.7 -1.9
Wood 11.82 91.8 96.5 96.5 0.0 5.1
Ferrous materials 2.88 156.7 143.8 145.9 1.5 -6.9
Non-ferrous metals 11.32 252.0 251.9 243.9 -3.2 -3.2
Non-metallic minerals 2.82 165.4 166.8 166.8 0.0 0.8
1.

The relative importance is based on the annual 2002 values of intermediate inputs.

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