23/4/15: Ireland 'Crazy Jumping' Stats: Producer Prices March 2015

In the world of 'Crazy Jumping' stats, Ireland is in the league of its own. Reach no further than out to the Irish Producer Prices. In annual terms, factory prices are up 9.5% in March 2015 y/y, almost double the 5.2% rise in the year to February 2015.

What is going on? Oh, currency valuations (prices are up in euros while exports markets are priced in all sorts of stuff) plus MNCs that can freely adjust prices they charge to Irish operations. Thus, "In the year there was an increase of 11.9% in the price index for export sales …and a decrease of 3.3% in respect of the price index for home sales." Basic pharmaceuticals prices (largest contributor to y/y price change) are up 14.5% y/y, Printing and Reproduction of Recorded Media - aka ICT software etc - jumped up 19.5%, Computer, electronic and optical products (second largest contributor to y/y price change) prices up 19%.

And in m/m terms, "the most significant changes were increases in Computer, electronic and optical products (+5.2%), Basic pharmaceutical products and pharmaceutical preparations (+4.6%) and Other food products including bread and confectionery (+2.9%), while there were decreases in Dairy products (-1.0%) and Other Manufacturing including Medical and Dental Instruments and Supplies (-0.2%)."

Now, resurgent Building and Construction industry. Based on factory gate prices things are not exactly surging yet. "All materials prices [for Building and Construction industry] increased by 1.4% in the year since March 2014. The most notable yearly changes were increases in Stone (+14.7%), Hardwood (+12.3%) and Glass (+6.4%), while there were decreases in Other Structural steel (-4.0%), Concrete blocks and bricks (-3.3%) and Ready mixed mortar and concrete (-2.6%)."

So things are booming up in MNCs - predominantly on foot of accounting… err… forex valuations side. And they are slogging up in Building & Construction, and in capital goods side (prices up 1.2% y/y). Domestic economy producers, overall, are deflating, still. 

Meanwhile, "The price of Energy products decreased by 11.3% in the year since March 2014, while Petroleum fuels decreased by 10.7%." Did you notice any of these decreases in your electricity and gas bills? No, me neither.

But all looks rather pretty hyperbolic in growth terms when one uses 'one-closed-eye-on-reality' trick:

23/9/2014: Irish factory Gate Prices: Deflation and Inflation in August

CSO's latest data on monthly factory gate prices shows that producer prices rose 0.3% in August 2014 m/m and fell 2.0% y/y, moderating a y/y drop of 2.4% recorded in July 2014.

Exports prices rose 0.4% and home sales prices were down 0.3% m/m. However, y/y exports prices are now down 2.1% and home sales prices are down 1.4%.

Noting the effects of European agricultural products trends associated with Russian counter-sanctions, dairy products prices were down 2.4% m/m and meat and meat products prices fell 0.4% m/m. Outside sanctions impact, Beverages prices rose 2.7% y/y, basic pharma products prices fell 4.5% y/y.

Capital goods prices rose 1.3% y/y and 0.3% m/m, while energy prices fell 13% y/y, petroleum fuel prices were down 2.3%.

Given moments in inputs prices and outputs prices, business margins appear to be pressured by: forex valuations (primarily driving exports prices changes to the downside) and by ongoing domestic deflation in the private sectors. Margins were supported by some decreases in the inputs costs (energy) and offset by the increases in prices of capital goods.

Chart below shows the overall downward trend in producer prices for manufacturing sectors that has been established now from roughly Q3 2012.

But never mind the above... all is rosy based on Irish PMIs readings...

22/5/2014: Happy Times Roll: Irish Manufacturing Producer Prices

Deflation keeps hammering Irish Manufacturing sector:

Per CSO: year on year, factory gate prices fell 2.7% in April 2014, compared with a decrease of 3.1% in the year to March 2014, including

• a decrease of 3.1% in the price index for export sales (subject to potential effects of currency fluctuations) and 
• a decrease of 0.6% in respect of the price index for home sales.

Nothing to worry about, folks, this economy is gaining strength and momentum all of the time... PMIs booming and producers confidence is rising (if you ask IBEC).

25/4/2014: Wholesale Prices in Ireland: March 2014

Deflation at consumer prices level is a two-edged sword. Whilst it normally rises savings and delays consumption, it also helps households stuck in debt to deleverage faster and it beefs up surplus savings available for investment.

But deflation at producer prices level is a case of gained competitiveness at the expense of future growth as it reduces value added in production and lowers future investment. It also leads to reduced hiring and can lead to cuts to the workforce.

Behold Ireland's pain...

According to CSO (http://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/er/wpi/wholesalepriceindexmarch2014/#.U1kL4-ZdWzg): we are now in full-blow deflationary spiral in terms of producer prices.

Drilling into specifics:

1. Export prices down 3.6% y/y and domestic sales prices down 1.1% y/y. Yes, exports price changes can be down to FX volatility, but no - this means nothing much as lower prices still mean lower revenues.
2. On upside: dairy products prices were up 12.6% y/y, wood and wood products prices up 10% y/y. Good news for least value-additive sectors of Irish economy. Other manufacturing prices were up 1.3%, beverages up 2.2%. And durable consumer goods industries prices up 1.3%.
3. Beyond that, almost everything else is either flat or down. You can see the details in the last column in Table 2 linked above.
4. One to watch: prices of energy products are down 17.2% y/y and petroleum fuels down 3.2%. Let's see if our heroes at state-controlled energy behemoths are going to pass any savings to consumers (hint: I doubt it).

So overall, not good news - sustained pressure on producer prices. Negative m/m inflation is now recorded in every months starting with October 2013 and on the annual basis, prices-signalled activities in the economy are running at the rates of growth consistent with late 2012-early 2013, not with a strong rebound. Of course, this is just a signal...