December 2017 U.S. Import and Export Price Indexes — 2018-01-10

Prices for U.S. imports ticked up 0.1 percent in December, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today, following a 0.8-percent rise the previous month. Higher fuel prices more than offset a decline in the price index for nonfuel prices in December. In contrast, U.S. export prices edged down 0.1 percent in December, after advancing 0.5 percent in November. All Imports: Import prices rose 0.1 percent in December following 0.8-percent advances in 2 of the previous 3 months. The index has not recorded a monthly decline since falling 0.2 percent in July. Prices for U.S imports increased 3.0 percent in 2017, after advancing 1.9 percent the previous year. The advance in 2017 was the largest calendar-year increase since import prices rose 8.5 percent in 2011. Fuel Imports: Import fuel prices increased 1.8 percent in December, after rising 8.4 percent in November.