(202) 691-7705 This Release Is Embargoed — 2004-05-13

The Producer Price Index for Finished Goods advanced 0.7 percent in April, seasonally adjusted, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. This increase followed a 0.5-percent rise in March and a 0.1-percent gain in February. April prices for finished goods other than foods and energy went up 0.2 percent, the same rate of increase as in the previous month. At the earlier stages of processing, the intermediate goods index climbed 1.4 percent, compared with a 0.7-percent gain in March. Prices received by manufacturers of crude goods rose 3.0 percent, after advancing 0.7 percent in the preceding month. (See table A.) 2004 Jan. .6 -1.4 r 4.8 .3 3.3 .8 r 1.9 Feb. .1 .2 .2 .1 2.1 .9 2.5 Mar. .5 1.5 .6 .2 1.4 .7 .7 Apr. .7 1.4 1.6 .2 3.7 1.4 3.0 r=revised.