April 2009 Producer Price Index — 2009-05-14

The Producer Price Index for Finished Goods increased 0.3 percent in April, seasonally adjusted, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. This rise followed a 1.2-percent decline in March and a 0.1-percent increase in February. At the earlier stages of processing, prices received by producers of intermediate goods moved down 0.5 percent following a 1.5-percent decrease a month earlier, and the crude goods index advanced 3.0 percent after declining 0.3 percent in March. (See table A.) Among finished goods, prices for consumer foods rose 1.5 percent in April following a 0.7-percent decrease in the previous month. The index for finished energy goods edged down 0.1 percent subsequent to a 5.5-percent decline in March. Prices for finished goods other than foods and energy inched up 0.1 percent compared with no change a month earlier. Before seasonal adjustment, the Producer Price Index for Finished Goods increased 0.6 percent in April to 169.9 (1982 = 100).