January 16, 2007 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Import prices in 2006

Import prices increased for the fifth straight year in 2006. The price index for overall imports advanced 2.5 percent in 2006, after more substantial increases of 8.0 percent and 6.7 percent in 2005 and 2004, respectively.

Over-the-year percent change in price index for imports, 2001– 2006 (December to December)
[Chart data—TXT]

The petroleum price index rose 6.2 percent overall in 2006, the fifth consecutive year the index advanced, but the smallest annual increase over that period.

Prices for nonpetroleum imports rose 1.7 percent over the past 12 months after advancing 2.4 percent and 3.7 percent in 2005 and 2004, respectively.

These data are from the BLS International Price program. Over-the-year changes in this article are December to December. Import price data are subject to revision. Learn more in "U.S. Import and Export Price Indexes -December 2006" (PDF) (TXT), news release USDL 07-0022.