May 13, 2004 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Import prices in April

Prices of overall imports rose 0.2 percent in April 2004, the smallest increase for this index in six months.

[Chart data—TXT]

The increase was led by a 0.3-percent rise in nonpetroleum import prices, the sixth consecutive monthly increase for the index. In contrast, petroleum prices declined 0.8 percent in April, after rising in each of the prior six months.

Overall import prices increased 4.6 percent for the year ended in April, as prices of petroleum imports rose 23.7 percent while nonpetroleum prices rose 2.4 percent over the same period.

Export prices increased for the eighth consecutive month, as both agricultural and nonagricultural export prices rose in April. Export prices were up 0.6 percent in April.

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 - April 2004" (PDF) (TXT), news release USDL 04-846.