July 14, 2000 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Petroleum import prices rise again

The U.S. Import Price Index increased 0.8 percent in June. The increase was attributable to a rise in petroleum prices; prices for nonpetroleum imports were unchanged in June.

Percent change in import price indexes, petroleum imports, June 1999-June 2000
[Chart data—TXT]

The 0.8-percent increase in import prices in June—the 11th increase in the past 12 months—followed a 0.3-percent rise in May. The June rise was attributable to a 7.0-percent advance in petroleum prices, which increased 4.8 percent in May after dipping 11.8 percent in April.

Over the past 12 months, the petroleum index was up 80.2 percent.

These data are a product of the BLS International Price program. Learn more in "U.S. Import and Export Price Indexes - June 2000," news release USDL 00-201. Note: import price data are subject to revision in each of the three months after original publication.

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