June 2008 Producer Price Index — 2008-07-15

The Producer Price Index for Finished Goods increased 1.8 percent in June, seasonally adjusted, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. This increase followed advances of 1.4 percent in May and 0.2 percent in April. At the earlier stages of processing, prices received by producers of intermediate goods rose 2.1 percent in June after moving up 2.9 percent in the prior month, and the crude goods index increased 3.7 percent following a 6.7-percent gain in May. (See table A.) Within finished goods, the index for energy goods climbed 6.0 percent in June after rising 4.9 percent in May. Prices for consumer foods increased 1.5 percent subsequent to a 0.8-percent advance in the previous month, and the index for finished goods other than foods and energy increased 0.2 percent for the second consecutive month.