Slight Increases Continue for Import-Export Price Index

The United States Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics has released its December 2007 import and export price index update.

Overall, the U.S. Import Price Index was unchanged in December. Export prices increased 0.4 percent in December, following a 0.9-percent rise in November.

The import price index for glass and glassware increased 0.7 percent from November to December to 113.7, while the export price index increased a slight 0.1 percent. Import prices for aluminum and aluminum products increased 1.2 percent, the same percentage increase as export prices of aluminum and its products increased.

CLICK HERE to read about the import-export price index for November.

U.S. Import Prices Indexes and Percent Changes for December

Description	Relative Importance	Index		Annual % Change		Monthly % Change
Description	Nov. '07	Nov. '07	Dec. '07	Dec. '06 - Dec. '07	Aug. '07 - Sept. '07	Sept. '07 - Oct '07	Oct. '07 - Nov. '07	Nov. '07 - Dec. '07
Primary Metals	5.300	149.0	148.4	9.1	-2.9	1.0	2.2	-0.4
Fabricated Metal Products	2.443	111.0	111.5	5.7	0.0	0.6	0.6	0.5
Ceramic Products	0.296	121.1	121.4	6.7	0.7	0.8	0.5	0.2
Glass and Glassware*	0.308	112.9	113.7	4.1	0.0	0.3	0.6	0.7
Aluminum and Articles Thereof	0.993	139.1	140.8	-3.5	-2.4	-2.2	0.2	1.2

U.S. Export Prices Indexes and Percent Changes for December

Description	Relative Importance	Index		Annual % Change		Monthly % Change
Description	Nov. '07	Nov. '07	Dec. '07	Dec. '06 - Dec. '07	Aug. '07 - Sept. '07	Sept. '07 - Oct '07	Oct. '07 - Nov. '07	Nov. '07 - Dec. '07
Primary Metals	4.239	125.7	130.2	10.0	-1.4	1.9	2.3	1.2
Fabricated Metal Products	2.753	112.9	112.9	4.8	0.1	0.2	0.2	0.0
Glass and Glassware*	0.425	98.3	98.4	2.7	-0.5	0.1	-0.1	0.1
Aluminum and Articles Thereof	0.956	139.4	141.1	-5.1	-4.4	-2.2	1.1	1.2

* The glass and glassware category includes all types of glass products, including flat glass.

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