(202) 691-7705 This Release Is Embargoed — 2003-06-13

The Producer Price Index for Finished Goods declined 0.3 percent in May, seasonally adjusted, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. This decrease followed a record decline of 1.9 percent in April. At the earlier stages of processing, the index for intermediate goods moved down 0.8 percent, following a 2.2- percent drop in the preceding month. Prices for crude goods went up 1.7 percent in May, after falling 16.3 percent in April. (See table A.) 2003 Jan. r 1.4 r 1.9 r 4.6 r .3 r 2.5 1.2 r 7.6 Feb. r 1.3 r .4 r 7.2 r .1 3.5 2.1 r 5.3 Mar. 1.5 .1 5.7 .7 4.2 2.0 13.3 Apr. -1.9 .9 -8.6 -.9 2.4 -2.2 -16.3 May -.3 .1 -2.6 .1 2.5 -.8 1.7 r=revised.