(202) 691-7705 This Release Is Embargoed — 2003-02-20

The Producer Price Index for Finished Goods rose 1.6 percent in January, seasonally adjusted, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. This increase followed a 0.1-percent decrease in December and a 0.3-percent decline in November. At the earlier stages of processing, prices received by intermediate goods manufacturers rose 1.3 percent in January, following a 0.2-percent decline in the prior month. The crude goods index increased 6.9 percent, compared with a 2.2- percent gain in December. (See table A.) NOTE: Some of the percent changes shown here and elsewhere in this release may differ from those previously reported because seasonal adjustment factors have been recalculated to reflect developments during 2002. In addition, indexes for September 2002 have been recalculated to incorporate late reports and corrections by respondents. All indexes are subject to revision 4 months after original publication.