August 2011 U.S. Import and Export Price Indexes — 2011-09-13

U.S. import prices declined 0.4 percent in August, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today, led by a 1.8 percent decrease in fuel prices. The August drop in import prices followed a 0.3 percent rise the previous month. In contrast, prices for U.S. exports rose 0.5 percent after declining 0.4 percent in July. All Imports: The price index for overall imports fell for the second time in three months in August, decreasing 0.4 percent following a 0.3 percent upturn in July and a 0.7 percent drop in June. Import prices declined 0.6 percent over the past four months after rising 13.7 percent between September 2010 and April 2011. Overall, the index increased 13.0 percent for the year ended in August, compared to a 13.8 percent advance for the July 2010-11 period. Fuel Imports: The August drop in overall import prices was driven by a 1.8 percent decline in fuel prices.