BUYING PLANS/PRICE EXPECTATIONS

By Staff -- Purchasing, 1/13/2000

CATEGORY UP DOWN SAME INDEX*

BUYING: CURRENT MONTH

Steel 29 30 41 49.5

Nonferrous metals 18 30 52 44.0

Fabricated metals 16 28 56 44.0

Mechanical/electrical 20 23 57 48.5

Materials handling 17 30 53 43.5

Paper 12 14 74 49.0

Plastic & rubber 22 17 61 52.5

Packaging 19 18 63 50.5

Office 8 38 54 35.0

Glass/clay 14 27 59 43.5

Precious metals 20 40 40 40.0

Chemicals/resins 21 22 57 49.5

BUYING: NEXT 3 MONTHS

Steel 31 27 42 52.0

Nonferrous metals 22 27 51 47.5

Fabricated metals 31 23 46 54.0

Mechanical/electrical 20 23 57 48.5

Materials handling 17 28 55 44.5

Paper 10 14 76 48.0

Plastic & rubber 21 18 61 51.5

Packaging 18 21 61 48.5

Office 9 32 59 38.5

Glass/clay 18 23 59 47.5

Precious metals 0 40 60 30.0

Chemicals/resins 20 23 57 48.5

PRICING: NEXT 3 MONTHS

Steel 42 2 56 70.0

Nonferrous metals 39 6 55 66.5

Fabricated metals 14 6 80 54.0

Mechanical/electrical 12 7 81 52.5

Materials handling 11 4 85 53.5

Paper 24 4 72 60.0

Plastic & rubber 21 3 76 59.0

Packaging 33 6 61 63.5

Office 20 14 66 53.0

Glass/clay 14 5 81 54.5

Precious metals 25 0 75 62.5

Chemicals/resins 29 9 62 60.0

SOURCE: PURCHASING MAGAZINE *Diffusion index, % increasing; value above 50% indicates growth; below 50% indicates decline.