U.S. Import And Export Price Indexes — 2005-09-09

The price index for U.S. imports increased 1.3 percent in August, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. Rising petroleum prices led the increase for the third consecutive month. U.S. export prices declined 0.1 percent in August after a modest 0.1 percent upturn in July. Hurricane Katrina struck Florida and the Gulf Coast after the August survey reference period and therefore did not affect the August import and export price indexes. Percent changes in import and export price indexes by End Use category -not seasonally adjusted- Month Non- Agri- Nonagri- All Petroleum petroleum All cultural cultural Imports Imports Imports Exports Exports Exports 2005 January 0.6 2.2 0.3 0.8 0.6 0.8 February 0.9 5.1 0.1 0.1 -0.5 0.1 March 2.2 13.4 0.3 0.7 3.8 0.4 April 0.9 3.6 0.4 0.5 0.3 0.6 May -0.8 r -4.4 r -0.2 -0.2 2.0 -0.5 June 1.2 r 8.6 r -0.2 -0.1 1.1 r -0.2 July 0.8 r 6.1