December 2015 U.S. Import and Export Price Indexes — 2016-01-14

U.S. import prices declined 1.2 percent in December, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today, driven by a drop in fuel prices. The December decrease followed a 0.5-percent fall the previous month. Prices for U.S. exports also decreased in December, declining 1.1 percent, after a 0.7-percent drop in November. All Imports: Overall import prices fell 1.2 percent in December, the largest monthly drop for the index since a 1.8-percent decline in August. While most of the December decrease was attributable to falling fuel prices, nonfuel prices continued to trend down as well. Import prices fell 8.2 percent in 2015, the largest calendar-year decline since the index fell 10.1 percent in 2008. Fuel Imports: Fuel prices decreased 9.5 percent in December, following a 3.5-percent drop in November. The December decline was the largest 1-month fall in the index since a 12.7-percent decrease in August and was led by a 10.0-percent drop in petroleum prices.