April 2022 U.S. Import and Export Price Indexes — 2022-05-13

U.S. import prices were unchanged in April, after increasing 2.9 percent in March, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Higher nonfuel prices in April offset lower fuel prices. Prices for U.S. exports advanced 0.6 percent in April following a 4.1-percent increase the previous month. The price index for U.S. imports was unchanged in April, after rising 6.8 percent over the first quarter of 2022. U.S. import prices have not recorded a monthly decline since the index fell 0.4 percent in December 2021. Prices for U.S. imports advanced 12.0 percent for the year ended in April, down from the 13.0-percent increase recorded last month. (See table 1.) Fuel Imports: Import fuel prices declined 2.4 percent in April following a 39.2-percent increase from December to March. The decrease in April was the first 1-month drop since the index fell 7.7 percent in December 2021. Lower petroleum prices in April more than offset higher natural gas prices.