June 16, 2009 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Export prices in May 2009

Export prices rose 0.6 percent in May, the second consecutive advance and largest since a 0.7-percent increase in January. Despite the rise, export prices decreased 6.5 percent over the past 12 months.

Over-the-month percent change in price index for exports, May 2008-May 2009 (not seasonally adjusted)
[Chart data—TXT]

Agriculture prices rose 3.6 percent in May after a 3.7-percent advance the previous month. In each month, the increase was led by a jump in soybean prices, which advanced 12.8 percent in May after a 12.9-percent rise in April. Overall agricultural prices remained down 14.7 percent over the past 12 months.

Nonagricultural prices increased 0.3 percent in May, but fell 5.6 percent over the past year.

These data are from the BLS International Price program. Export price data are subject to revision. Learn more in "U.S. Import and Export Price Indexes – May 2009" (PDF) (HTML), news release USDL 09-0635.

 

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