(202) 691-7705 This Release Is Embargoed — 2000-05-12

The Producer Price Index for Finished Goods declined 0.3 percent in April, seasonally adjusted, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. This decrease followed increases of 1.0 percent in February and March. The index for finished goods other than foods and energy rose 0.1 percent, the same as a month ago. Prices received by producers of intermediate goods fell 0.1 percent, after posting a 0.9-percent gain in the prior month. The crude goods index turned down 2.5 percent, following a 1.8-percent advance a month earlier. (See table A.) Table A. Monthly and annual percent changes in selected stage-of- processing price indexes, seasonally adjusted Change in finished Except goods foods from 12 Inter- and months mediate Crude Month Total Foods Energy energy ago goods goods (unadj.) 1999 Apr.