December 16, 2002 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Producer prices decline in November

The Producer Price Index for Finished Goods decreased 0.4 percent in November, seasonally adjusted. This decline followed a 1.1-percent increase in October and a 0.1-percent gain in September.

[Chart data—TXT]

Among finished goods in November, the index for finished energy goods declined 1.8 percent, after moving up 4.2 percent in October. Excluding gasoline, the index for finished goods would have fallen 0.1 percent in November. 

The index for finished goods other than foods and energy fell 0.3 percent, following a 0.5-percent increase in the prior month. Excluding passenger cars, the index for finished goods other than foods and energy would have shown no change in November. The finished consumer foods index rose 0.3 percent, after posting a 0.7-percent gain in October.

From November 2001 to November 2002, finished goods prices rose 0.9 percent.

These data are from the BLS Producer Price Index program.  Find out more in "Producer Price Indexes, November 2002" (PDF) (TXT), news release USDL 02-676.  All producer price indexes are routinely subject to revision once, 4 months after original publication, to reflect the availability of late reports and corrections by respondents.