December 10, 2004 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Import prices in November 2004

The 0.2-percent increase in import prices for November was a smaller monthly advance than recorded in each of the previous four months.

[Chart data—TXT]

The increase was led by a 0.7-percent rise in nonpetroleum prices, the largest monthly advance for that index since January. In contrast, petroleum prices declined 2.6 percent in November after increasing 28.1 percent over the prior four months.

Prices for each of the major nonpetroleum import areas were up in November. A 2.8 percent rise in prices for nonpetroleum industrial supplies and materials was the largest contributor to the overall increase in nonpetroleum imports. 

Capital goods prices and automotive vehicles prices both rose 0.2 percent last month. The price index for consumer goods prices was up 0.1 percent in November.

These data are from the BLS International Price program. Import and export price data are subject to revision. Learn more in "U.S. Import and Export Price Indexes - November 2004" (PDF) (TXT), news release USDL 04-2463.