October 10, 2003 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Oil import prices down in September

The U.S. Import Price Index declined 0.5 percent in September after increasing in each of the previous three months. Lower petroleum prices led the decline in overall import prices and more than offset higher prices for nonpetroleum imports.

Over-the-month percent change in price index for imports, September 2002–September 2003 (not seasonally adjusted)
[Chart data—TXT]

The price index for imported petroleum decreased 5.2 percent in September but was up 1.2 percent over the past year. In contrast, nonpetroleum import prices rose 0.2 percent last month and were up 0.9 percent for the year ended in September.

The price index for overall import prices was up 0.8 percent over the past 12 months. Import prices for consumer goods were unchanged in September and down 0.2 percent over the past 12 months.

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 - September 2003" (PDF) (TXT), news release USDL 03-470.