(202) 691-7705 This Release Is Embargoed — 2000-09-14

The Producer Price Index for Finished Goods decreased 0.2 percent in August, seasonally adjusted, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. This index showed no change in July and increased 0.6 percent in June. The index for finished goods other than foods and energy edged up 0.1 percent in August, the same rate as in July. Prices received by manufacturers of intermediate goods fell 0.2 percent, following a 0.2-percent advance a month earlier. The crude goods index decreased 1.5 percent, after falling 1.1 percent in July. (See table A.) Table A. Monthly and annual percent changes in selected stage-of- processing price indexes, seasonally adjusted Change in finished Except goods foods from 12 Inter- and months mediate Crude Month Total Foods Energy energy ago goods goods (unadj.) 1999 Aug. 0.6 0.5 3.3 0.1 2.3 0.5 5.1 Sept. .8 .7 2.1 .6 3.1 .5 4.6 Oct. 0 -.3 -.4 .2 2.8 .2 -2.4 Nov.