Articles

In the first two months of 2023, total U.S. imports of ceramic tile were 30.9 million square meters, according to Grosser Consulting, up 4.7% from the same period in 2022 when imports were 29.5 million square meters. Read More

U.S. floor coverings manufacturer sales began to feel the full impact of the current housing downturn in the first quarter of 2023. Catalina estimates first quarter dollar sales (shipments minus exports plus imports) could have declined by 2.5 percent, while square foot sales could have decreased by 4.7 percent. Read More

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) released its NAHB/Westlake Royal Remodeling Market Index (RMI) for the first quarter, posting a reading of 70, edging up one point compared to the previous quarter. Read More

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) rose 0.1% in March on a seasonally adjusted basis, after increasing 0.4% in February, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. Read More

Retail sales are anticipated to grow between 4% and 6% in 2023, according to The National Retail Federation’s (NRF) annual forecast. In total, NRF projects that retail sales will reach between $5.13 trillion and $5.23 trillion this year. Read More

The tile industry saw a slight decrease in overall sales over the past year. According to Eric Astrachan, executive director of the Tile Council of North America (TCNA), “Total U.S. ceramic tile consumption in 2022 was 3.07 billion square feet, down 1.3 percent from the previous year.” Read More

"A group of large oil producers led by Saudi Arabia said Sunday they would cut more than a million barrels of output a day starting next month, a surprise move that upset Washington and led to a jump in crude prices amid concerns about the global economy,” reports the Wall Street Journal. Read More

New data from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Home Design Trends Survey is revealing the latest trends in kitchen and bathroom design. Read More

Personal income increased $72.9 billion, or 0.3 percent at a monthly rate, while consumer spending increased $27.9 billion, or 0.2 percent, in February. Read More

Total U.S. ceramic tile consumption in 2022 was 285.4 million sq.m, down 1.3% from the previous year. Imports by volume decreased, too, down 2.3% to 202.7 million sq.m, while national production grew by 2.3% reaching 87.3 million sq.m. Read More