March 15, 2007 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Import prices in February 2007

The U.S. Import Price Index rose 0.2 percent in February.

[Chart data—TXT]

The increase followed a 0.9-percent decline in January and was led by an upturn in petroleum prices. The advance in petroleum prices followed declines in four of the previous five months.

Nonpetroleum prices recorded a second consecutive 0.1-percent decline in February after rising 0.5 percent and 1.0 percent, respectively, in December and November.

Decreases in the price indexes for capital goods and nonpetroleum industrial supplies and materials both contributed to the February decline in nonpetroleum prices. In contrast, automotive vehicles prices and prices for foods, feeds, and beverages increased in February.

Export prices rose 0.7 percent in February, the largest increase since June 2006, and both agricultural prices and nonagricultural prices contributed to the advance.

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 - February 2007," (PDF) (TXT) news release USDL 07-0374.