July 14, 2005 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Import prices in June 2005

Prices for U.S. imports increased 1.0 percent in June after declining 1.0 percent in May. Higher petroleum prices more than offset a second consecutive monthly decrease in nonpetroleum prices.

Over-the-month percent change in price index for imports, June 2004–June 2005 (not seasonally adjusted)
[Chart data—TXT]

Petroleum prices advanced 7.6 percent in June, after a 4.8-percent downturn the previous month. The decline in May petroleum prices was preceded by a 26.2-percent increase over the first four months of 2005.

Nonpetroleum prices declined 0.4 percent in June, following a 0.2-percent decrease in May. The declines were the first monthly decreases since the index edged down 0.1 percent in October 2004. Nonpetroleum import prices increased 2.1 percent for the year ended in June, while overall import prices rose 7.0 percent.

Export prices were unchanged in June, as a 1.2-percent increase in agricultural prices countered a 0.1-percent decline in nonagricultural prices.

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 - June 2005" (PDF) (TXT), news release USDL 05-1291.