January 2012 Producer Price Index — 2012-02-16

The Producer Price Index for finished goods advanced 0.1 percent in January, seasonally adjusted, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Prices for finished goods declined 0.1 percent in December and moved up 0.2 percent in November. At the earlier stages of processing, the index for intermediate goods fell 0.4 percent in January, and crude goods prices increased 1.5 percent. On an unadjusted basis, the finished goods index advanced 4.1 percent for the 12 months ended January 2012, the smallest year-over-year rise since a 3.6-percent increase in January 2011. (See table A.) In January, the rise in finished goods prices can be attributed to the index for finished goods less foods and energy, which moved up 0.4 percent. By contrast, prices for finished energy goods and for finished consumer foods declined 0.5 percent and 0.3 percent, respectively.