(202) 691-7705 This Release Is Embargoed — 2002-08-08

The Producer Price Index for Finished Goods declined 0.2 percent in July, seasonally adjusted, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. This decrease followed a 0.1-percent rise in June and a 0.4-percent decline in May. At the earlier stages of processing, the intermediate goods index advanced at a 0.2-percent rate for the second consecutive month, and prices received by crude goods producers moved up 0.6 percent, following a 3.6-percent drop in June. (See table A.) 2002 Jan. 0 .8 -.5 -.2 -2.7 -.2 4.6 Feb. .2 .8 0 .1 -2.6 -.2 -1.2 Mar. r .9 r .6 r 5.7 -.1 r -1.6 r 1.0 r 5.0 Apr. r -.1 r -3.0 r 3.1 .1 -2.0 r 1.2 r 4.0 May -.4 -.2 -2.3 0 -2.7 -.5 1.7 June .1 .1 0 .2 -2.1 .2 -3.6 July -.2 -.1 .1 -.3 -1.1 .2 .6 r=revised.