May 03, 2005 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

First rise in consumer durables prices since 1996

Durable commodities prices paid by consumers increased 0.4 percent in 2004, after decreasing 4.3 percent in 2003. The 2004 advance was the first increase in durables prices since 1996.

[Chart data—TXT]

Durables include items such as vehicles, furniture and bedding, and computers.

Used car and truck prices rose 4.8 percent in 2004, after decreasing 11.8 percent in 2003. Prices of leased cars and trucks decreased 4.2 percent in 2004, following an 11.8-percent decrease in the prior year. New vehicle prices increased 0.6 percent in 2004, the first increase since 1996.

Furniture and bedding prices declined 0.2 percent in 2004. Prices for personal computers and peripheral equipment dropped by 14.2 percent.

These data are from the BLS Consumer Price Index program. Annual percent changes are December-to-December changes. For additional information on consumer price changes in 2004, see "Consumer price index, 2004," by Todd Wilson, Monthly Labor Review, April 2005.