The U.S. imports price index gained 1.8 percent in April, while export prices rose 0.3 percent, the government reported Tuesday.

The rise in import prices was slower than the 2.9 percent increase in March, while increases in export prices continued a three-month trend, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported.

Petroleum related prices gained 6.8 percent in April, while all other imports gained 0.3 percent.

For non-petroleum items, the largest price jump was tracked to a 3.3 percent rise in supplies and materials prices, pushed by a jump in unfinished metal prices, the report said.

April showed a decline of 2.2 percent in agricultural export prices -- the first decrease in 11 months -- while all other exports saw a 0.5 percent price increase.

Copyright 2008 by United Press International


Publication date: 13 May 2008   

Source: UPI-1-20080513-12042500-bc-us-importprices.xml

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