November 2012 U.S. Import and Export Price Indexes — 2012-12-12

U.S. import prices decreased 0.9 percent in November, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today, following increases in each of the three previous months. The decline was primarily led by lower fuel prices. The price index for U.S. exports also fell in November, decreasing 0.7 percent after remaining unchanged in October. All Imports: Import prices fell for the first time since July after rising 2.5 percent over the previous three months. A 3.0 percent decline in fuel prices mainly drove the November decrease in import prices, although nonfuel prices also decreased for the month. The price index for overall imports fell 1.6 percent over the past 12 months, a contrast to the previous 12-month period ended in November 2011 when import prices rose 10.1 percent. Fuel Imports: Import fuel prices fell 3.0 percent in November after edging down 0.1 percent the previous month.