(202) 606-7705 This Release Is Embargoed — 1998-05-13

The Producer Price Index for Finished Goods rose 0.2 percent in April, seasonally adjusted, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. This increase follows declines in each of the last five months, including decreases of 0.3 percent in March and 0.1 percent in February. The index for finished goods other than foods and energy advanced 0.2 percent in April, after showing no change a month ago. Prices received by producers of intermediate goods showed no change in April, following a 0.5-percent drop in the prior month. The crude goods index rose 1.0 percent, after a 1.6-percent decline in March. (See Table A.) Among finished goods in April, price increases for finished consumer goods other than foods and energy, for finished consumer foods, and for capital equipment more than offset the small price decrease for finished energy goods, which declined 0.1 percent in April, after a 1.9-percent drop in March. Table A.