December 2012 Producer Price Index — 2013-01-15

The Producer Price Index for finished goods declined 0.2 percent in December, seasonally adjusted, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Prices for finished goods fell 0.8 percent in November and 0.2 percent in October. At the earlier stages of processing, prices received by manufacturers of intermediate goods moved up 0.3 percent, and the crude goods index increased 2.5 percent. On an unadjusted basis, the finished goods index rose 1.3 percent in 2012, compared with a 4.7-percent advance in 2011. (See table A.) In December, most of the decline in the finished goods index can be traced to a 0.9-percent decrease in prices for finished consumer foods. The index for finished energy goods fell 0.3 percent. By contrast, prices for finished goods less foods and energy inched up 0.1 percent. Finished foods: Prices for finished consumer foods fell 0.9 percent in December, the first decrease since a 0.4-percent decline in May 2012.