Index slides somewhat, say buyers

By Staff -- Purchasing, 10/5/2000

For the second straight month, buyers saw fewer price increases than the previous month, according to Purchasing's monthly index of chemical pricing. The industrial chemicals index fell 2.54 points in August to 118.77, from 121.31 in August. Buyers predict the index will continue to slide in coming months to about 118 points by the close of the year.

Gains this month were seen in the paper chemicals index (up 12.41 points this month), the inorganic chemicals index (up another 8.65 points after rising 7.31 points last month), and coatings chemical (up 1.30 points). But while these indices were up, chemicals that make up the overall index were down, accounting for the slide in the overall index.