February 2021 U.S. Import and Export Price Indexes — 2021-03-16

U.S. import prices advanced 1.3 percent in February following a 1.4-percent increase in January, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Higher fuel and nonfuel prices contributed to the advances in each of the past 2 months. Prices for U.S. exports also rose in February, increasing 1.6 percent, after advancing 2.5 percent the previous month. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic Impact on February 2021 Import and Export Price Index Data The Bureau of Labor Statistics did not make changes to either the collection method or estimation methodology for the February 2021 release of U.S. Import and Export Price Indexes. Survey response rates for February were 5.2-percentage points lower than those in February 2020. Additional information is available at www.bls.gov/covid19/import-export-price-indexes-covid19-impacts-february-2021.htm. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ The price index for U.S. imports increased 1.3 percent in February following a 1.4-percent advance the previous month. The January rise was the largest monthly advance since March 2012.