(202) 691-7705 This Release Is Embargoed — 2004-06-17

The Producer Price Index for Finished Goods advanced 0.8 percent in May, seasonally adjusted, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. This increase followed a 0.7-percent rise in April and a 0.5-percent gain in March. At the earlier stages of processing, prices received by manufacturers of intermediate goods climbed 1.1 percent in May, after posting a 1.4-percent rise in the previous month. The crude goods index went up 2.8 percent, following a 3.0-percent jump in April. (See table A.) 2004 Jan. .6 r -1.3 r 4.7 .3 3.3 r .9 r 4.1 Feb. .1 r .1 r .3 r 0 2.1 r .8 r .3 Mar. .5 1.5 .6 .2 1.4 .7 .7 Apr. .7 1.4 1.6 .2 3.7 1.4 3.0 May .8 1.5 1.6 .3 5.0 1.1 2.8 r=revised.