Romex prices falling?

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James L

James L

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Kansas Cty, Mo, USA
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Electrician
I just stopped at Home Depot for a few items, and I happened to take a look at the prices of Romex. Both 12/2 + 14/2 are down 10%

12/2 went from $160 to $144
14/2 went from $120 to $108

This seems to conflict with the forecast I had been seeing that prices would continue to rise into next year
 
James L said:
I just stopped at Home Depot for a few items, and I happened to take a look at the prices of Romex. Both 12/2 + 14/2 are down 10%

12/2 went from $160 to $144
14/2 went from $120 to $108

This seems to conflict with the forecast I had been seeing that prices would continue to rise into next year
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That's great news. They were still $160 and $120 here just yesterday.
 
Somebody was telling me that Romex prices were high because a factory that makes the chemicals for the outer insulation caught fire in Houston last year. I didn't care to get much detail. As I am in non believer mode most of the time.
Has any body else heard that ? Or is it because of fuel prices ?
 
Retail prices generally go up quickly in anticipation of wholesale prices rising. However, I would guess the big box stores will probably deplete their stock to the lowest possible levels in order to get the highest profit margins before lowering their prices. I know it's a hassle to constantly check prices for a common commodity like wire, but I would check with your local supply houses before making a wire purchase. They may just be a few $$ cheaper.
 
Buck Parrish said:
Somebody was telling me that Romex prices were high because a factory that makes the chemicals for the outer insulation caught fire in Houston last year. I didn't care to get much detail. As I am in non believer mode most of the time.
Has any body else heard that ? Or is it because of fuel prices ?
Click to expand...
There is a plant in Texas that makes most, if not all, the resin for plastics, PVC, etc. It got damaged from the hurricane last year and that got them behind. Throw in "Covid" and got them even further behind. Then on top of that, the ice storm last winter that caused the power outage, got them even further in the hole. That is the sheathing part of the story, copper going up is the rest.
 
www.argusmedia.com

Strike action intensifies at Chile's Andina copper mine | Argus Media

Workers at another union at Chilean copper producer Codelco's Andina mine went on strike at 8am local time (12:00 GMT) yesterday, following the Unified Workers' Union and Industrial Union of Labour Integration <a target="_blank"...
www.argusmedia.com www.argusmedia.com


Hold on to your horses!

The world's largest copper mines (Chile) that supply copper concentrates and cathodes worldwide are on strike.
This labor strife that was the precursor to computer chip shortage that started last month-- that curtailed automobile production in Europe may now extend to copper wire and other building materials that rely on copper.

My investment adviser sent me an email today that three miners' union in Chile voted to go on strike.

He did say that he is hoping this will be resolved before devastating shortages affect us all.

I'll keep my fingers crossed.
 
myspark said:
www.argusmedia.com

Strike action intensifies at Chile's Andina copper mine | Argus Media

Workers at another union at Chilean copper producer Codelco's Andina mine went on strike at 8am local time (12:00 GMT) yesterday, following the Unified Workers' Union and Industrial Union of Labour Integration <a target="_blank"...
www.argusmedia.com www.argusmedia.com


Hold on to your horses!

The world's largest copper mines (Chile) that supply copper concentrates and cathodes worldwide are on strike.
This labor strife that was the precursor to computer chip shortage that started last month-- that curtailed automobile production in Europe may now extend to copper wire and other building materials that rely on copper.

My investment adviser sent me an email today that three miners' union in Chile voted to go on strike.

He did say that he is hoping this will be resolved before devastating shortages affect us all.

I'll keep my fingers crossed.
Click to expand...
There's a lot of copper in Peru also, where they just elected a borderline Communist. Who knows what that could do to supply?

That's one of the reasons I was surprised by a price drop 🤷‍♂️
 
James L said:
There's a lot of copper in Peru also, where they just elected a borderline Communist. Who knows what that could do to supply?

That's one of the reasons I was surprised by a price drop 🤷‍♂️
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Peru's output is not even half of Chile's.
Arizona is even bigger than Peru.
Look it up.
 
Peru is #6 according to commodities prime metal supplier.
Look it up again.
Those links I know . . .I get them all the time.
 
Copper demand is expected to exceed supply for the next decade. That's how long it's going to take to bring new copper mines into production.

China consumption is currently falling because their economy is cooling off.

However the large US infrastructure bill is going to such up lots of copper.

You're obviously going to see price fluctuations, but I'm guessing $60 a roll for 12/2 is long gone.
 
I was told by my supplier that anything plastic was increased due to the resins that we use to make our American made conduit with "global products" hence $8 for a stick of 3/4" pvc. NM did go up drastically however xhhw stayed relatively the same. All of these countries that make our products or commodities are still in lockdowns and are barely making anything Cutler hammer back orders are infinite
 
VirutalElectrician said:
China consumption is currently falling because their economy is cooling off.
Click to expand...

While Chinese imports of copper have slowed drastically, their consumption is not falling. The “cooling off” of the Chinese economy simply means growth is down to the mid single digits, off from the recent historic average of 10-15%. That’s if one can believe the numbers being provided by the CCP!

China are currently relying on domestic supply and draw down of stockpiles to avoid importing at current prices. They can only do that for so long.
 
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