January 2010 U.S. Import and Export Price Indexes — 2010-02-17

The U.S. Import Price Index advanced 1.4 percent in January, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today, as fuel and nonfuel prices each increased. The rise in overall imports followed a 0.2 percent uptick in December. Export prices rose 0.8 percent in January after advancing 0.6 percent in December and 0.8 percent in November. All Imports: Import prices continued to increase in January, rising 1.4 percent after a 0.2 percent advance in December. Approximately three quarters of the increase was attributable to higher fuel prices. Import prices rose for the sixth consecutive month and 11.5 percent for the year ended in January, the largest 12-month gain for the index since a 13.1 percent jump for the September 2007-08 period. Fuel Imports: Import fuel prices resumed an upward trend in January, rising 5.3 percent following a 0.6 percent drop in December.