U.S. Import And Export Price Indexes — 2007-05-10

The U.S. Import Price Index rose 1.3 percent in April, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today, following a 1.5 percent advance in March. For the second consecutive month the increase was led by higher petroleum prices. Export prices also increased in April, rising 0.3 percent after a 0.6 percent advance the previous month. Percent changes in import and export price indexes by End Use category -not seasonally adjusted- Month Non- Agri- Nonagri- All Petroleum petroleum All cultural cultural Imports Imports Imports Exports Exports Exports 2007 January -1.2 r -6.6 -0.1 0.4 0.6 r 0.5 February 0.4 r 1.7 r 0.0 r 0.8 r 2.8 0.6 r March 1.5 r 8.1 r 0.3 0.6 r 2.0 r 0.5 r April 1.3 6.5 0.2 0.3 -1.3 0.4 The 2.8 percent increase in import prices over the past two months drove the index to the highest level recorded since petroleum prices peaked in August 2006.