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Producer Price Index down 0.6% in February, ex Fd & Engy up 0.1%
The Producer Price Index for Finished Goods declined 0.6 percent in February, seasonally adjusted, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. This decrease followed a 1.4 percent advance in January and a 0.4-percent increase in December. At the earlier stages of processing, prices received by producers of intermediate goods moved up 0.1 percent and the crude goods index fell 3.5 percent. On an unadjusted basis, prices for finished goods advanced 4.4 percent for the 12 months ended February 2010, their fourth consecutive 12-month increase.
In February, the decrease in the index for finished goods was driven by lower prices for energy goods, which declined 2.9 percent. By contrast, prices for finished consumer foods rose 0.4 percent and the index for finished goods less foods and energy inched up 0.1 percent.
Posted: March 17, 2010 Wednesday 08:30 AM