March 2009 Producer Price Index — 2009-04-14

The Producer Price Index for Finished Goods decreased 1.2 percent in March, seasonally adjusted, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. This decline followed a 0.1-percent advance in February and a 0.8-percent increase in January. At the earlier stages of processing, prices received by producers of intermediate goods fell 1.5 percent after decreasing 0.9 percent a month earlier, and the crude goods index declined 0.3 percent following a 4.5-percent drop in February. (See table A.) Among finished goods, the index for energy goods turned down 5.5 percent in March after rising 1.3 percent in the preceding month. Prices for finished consumer goods less foods and energy inched up 0.1 percent following a 0.4-percent advance in February. The capital equipment index fell 0.2 percent in March after moving up 0.1 percent in the prior month.