(202) 691-7705 This Release Is Embargoed — 2003-11-14

The Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today that the seasonally adjusted Producer Price Index for Finished Goods advanced 0.8 percent in October. This gain followed a 0.3- percent rise in September and a 0.4-percent increase in August. Rising prices for beef and veal, light motor trucks, and passenger cars led the increase in the finished goods index in October. At the earlier stages of processing, prices received by the manufacturers of intermediate goods went up 0.4 percent, after edging down 0.1 percent in the prior month. The rate of increase in the index for crude materials slowed from 3.4 percent in September to 2.6 percent in October. (See table A.) 2003 Jan. 1.4 1.9 4.6 .3 2.5 1.2 7.6 Feb. 1.1 .4 7.4 -.1 3.3 2.0 5.2 Mar. 1.4 .2 5.4 .7 4.0 2.1 13.0 Apr.