(202) 606-7705 This Release Is Embargoed — 1999-09-10

The Producer Price Index for Finished Goods increased 0.5 percent in August, seasonally adjusted, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. This rise followed a 0.2-percent advance in July and a 0.1-percent decrease in June. The index for finished goods other than foods and energy fell 0.1 percent, after showing no change in the previous month. Prices received by producers of intermediate goods rose 0.8 percent in August, after increasing 0.6 percent in July. The crude goods index advanced 4.6 percent, following a 0.2-percent drop in the previous month. (See table A.) Table A. Monthly and annual percent changes in selected stage-of- processing price indexes, seasonally adjusted Finish ed goods Change in Except finished Inter- goods foods from 12 mediate Crude and months Month Total Foods Energy energy ago goods goods (unadj.) 1998 Aug. -0.3 -0.3 -1.9 0.0 -0.8 -0.3 -4.2 Sept. .2 .2 -.4 .3 -.9 -.3 -1.8 Oct.