(202) 691-7705 This Release Is Embargoed — 2004-10-15

The Producer Price Index for Finished Goods increased 0.1 percent in September, seasonally adjusted, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. This increase followed a 0.1-percent decline in August and a 0.1-percent rise in July. At the earlier stages of processing, prices received by manufacturers of intermediate goods edged up 0.1 percent in September, after a 1.0-percent gain in the preceding month, while the crude goods index fell 4.2 percent, compared with a 0.7-percent decrease in August. (See table A.) 2004 Jan. .6 -1.3 4.7 .3 3.3 .9 4.1 Feb. .1 .4 .3 -.1 2.1 1.0 1.5 Mar. .6 1.5 .6 .3 1.5 .8 1.6 Apr. .7 1.3 1.8 .1 3.7 1.4 1.8 May r .6 r 1.5 r 1.3 r .2 r 4.9 r 1.0 r 3.2 June r -.1 r -.7 r -1.5 r .4 4.0 r .4 r .2 July .1 -1.6 2.3 .1 4.0 .8 -.2 Aug.