May 2015 U.S. Import and Export Price Indexes — 2015-06-11

U.S. import prices increased 1.3 percent in May following declines in each of the previous 10 months, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The May advance was driven by an increase in fuel prices. The price index for U.S. exports rose 0.6 percent in May, after a 0.7-percent decrease in April. All Imports: U.S. import prices advanced 1.3 percent in May, after decreasing 0.2 percent in April and March, and 0.4 percent in February. The May increase was the first monthly rise since the index advanced 0.3 percent in June 2014 and the largest 1-month increase since the index rose 1.4 percent in March 2012. Despite the May increase, prices for imports decreased 9.6 percent over the past year, and have not recorded a 12-month rise since the index advanced 0.9 percent between July 2013 and July 2014.