Monday, November 14, 2016

Machinery and equipment price indexes

Question
An Economics researcher is looking for the background sampling framework and the underlying detailed data for the Machinery and equipment price indexes, see IMDB page: http://www23.statcan.gc.ca/imdb/p2SV.pl?Function=getSurvey&lang=en&db=imdb&adm=8&dis=2&SDDS=2312#a2

The commodity (commodity 30) in question is Non-electric furnaces and heating equipment.

His first question is whether the price indexes for this commodity include the residential sector at all (in full or in part)?

If residential furnace prices are covered, then his second question is availability of the most detailed data, that is:

1) prices over time for natural gas furnaces by
2) energy efficiency rating (AFUE) of the furnace, and this may be dreaming in technicolour, but is not necessary
3) why the customer replaced their furnace?

Answer

“No, the residential sector is not part of MEPI. The index provides quarterly estimates of price changes for machinery and equipment purchased by industries in Canada.”