Tile product prices deflate

The average price paid for ceramic floor and wall tile products by contractors, remodelers and do-it-yourself homeowners during June of this year was 1.1 percent lower than during June 2000. Prices fell 0.5 percent between May and June 2001 after posting surprising increases during April and May. Although the strong construction market of the past several years has kept demand for tile products at a reasonably high level, supply — increasingly from foreign sources — has had little difficulty keeping pace. Following the steep 2.5 percent decline in average tile prices during 2000, deflation of a more moderate 0.7 percent is expected this year, followed by a slight increase.