For the month ended April 30, the Rouse Value Index of Orderly Liquidation Values for used equipment across 14 major rental equipment categories increased 0.5 percent compared with March. For the six months ended April 30, average index values increased 9.1 percent. As of April 2011, average relative OLVs for equipment owned by major rental firms rebounded to 89.6 percent of peak values.

In April, eight of the top 14 category indices had one-month increases ranging from 0.2 percent for scissorlifts and high-reach forklifts to 2.7 percent for loader backhoes. Articulating booms, warehouse forklifts and generators remained unchanged in April, while air compressors, light compaction and excavators recorded small declines.

The OLV of high-reach forklifts jumped 22.9 percent for the past six months, while wheel loaders increased 17.9 percent; loader backhoes 8.3 percent; skid-steer loaders 7.2 percent; industrial forklifts 6.8 percent; and generators 3.9 percent.

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