Exclusive: Durable Goods Inflation Jumps 0.35% in April

OpenBrand Consumer Price Index (CPI) Shows Power Tools, Notebooks, and Headphones Lead Durables Price Surge

SAN DIEGO, CA, UNITED STATES, May 12, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- U.S. consumers saw a measurable increase in the cost of durable goods in April, as inflationary pressures intensified across key product categories. According to the May 2025 release of the OpenBrand Consumer Price Index (CPI), prices for durable and personal goods rose by 0.35% month-over-month (MoM), up from 0.12% in March, marking the fifth consecutive monthly gain​.

Much of the upward pressure is attributed to rising import costs linked to newly implemented U.S. tariffs and strain across global supply chains.

“Tariff-driven costs are clearly making their way through to consumers,” said Ralph McLaughlin, Chief Economist at OpenBrand. “April’s price jump was especially sharp in electronics and tools—categories heavily exposed to trade policy shifts. If trade negotiations progress, we may see some relief later in the year.”

Key Findings from April CPI Report:
- Durables and personal goods CPI increased +0.35% MoM, up from +0.12% in March​
- Biggest price gains (ranging from +0.63% to +1.98%) were seen in:
- Desktop computers, headphones, ink, monitors, notebooks, projectors, power tools, and toner​

Product Group Trends:
- Communications: +0.97%
- Home Improvement: +0.54%
- Recreation: +0.74%
- Appliances: -0.06%
- Personal Care: -0.43%​

Discounting:
- Frequency of discounts rose to 21.2% (from 20.5% in March)
- Magnitude of average discounts fell to 19.5% (from 20.6%)​


Economic Context: Inflation and Trade Shape Outlook

The report notes that April's pricing trends coincide with a broader environment of mixed economic signals. While the labor market remains strong, 177,000 jobs were added in April, GDP contracted modestly in Q1, partly due to front-loaded inventory accumulation ahead of tariffs. Inflation continues to trend above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target, particularly in goods-heavy sectors impacted by global trade disruptions​.

Looking ahead, OpenBrand expects inflation to remain volatile as global supply chains realign and policy negotiations unfold. McLaughlin added, “While trade deals may bring eventual easing, current pricing patterns reflect real-time economic strain and policy risk.”

About the OpenBrand CPI:

The OpenBrand CPI of Durable and Personal Goods tracks pricing trends across 200,000+ products, more than doubling the coverage of the Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI in this category. With granular, SKU-level data and daily updates available to subscribers, OpenBrand’s index provides early, actionable insight into consumer pricing shifts.

Download the full report at openbrand.com/cpi

Sidney Waterfall
OpenBrand
sidney@openbrand.com