April 2018 U.S. Import and Export Price Indexes — 2018-05-11

U.S. import prices increased 0.3 percent in April, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today, following a 0.2-percent decline in March. Prices for fuel and nonfuel imports advanced in April. Prices for U.S. exports rose 0.6 percent in April, after increasing 0.3 percent in March. Higher prices for nonagricultural exports more than offset declining agricultural export prices in April. All Imports: Import prices advanced 0.3 percent in April resuming the recent upward trend after declining 0.2 percent the previous month. The March decrease was the first time the index recorded a drop since a 0.2- percent decline in July 2017. Prices for U.S. imports rose 3.3 percent between April 2017 and April 2018. U.S. import prices have not recorded a 12-month decline since a 0.2-percent decrease for the year ended October 2016. Fuel Imports: The price index for import fuels advanced 1.3 percent in April after declining 2.4 percent in March.