The Producer Price Index for Finished Goods increased 0.1 percent in September, seasonally adjusted, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. This increase followed a 0.1-percent decline in August and a 0.1-percent rise in July. At the earlier stages of processing, prices received by manufacturers of intermediate goods edged up 0.1 percent in September, after a 1.0-percent gain in the preceding month, while the crude goods index fell 4.2 percent, compared with a 0.7-percent decrease in August.
Among finished goods, prices for goods other than foods and energy turned up 0.3 percent in September, following a decline of 0.1 percent in the prior month, while the consumer foods index rose 0.1 percent in September, after falling 0.2 percent in August. By contrast, the index for finished energy goods turned down 0.9 percent, compared with a 0.2-percent increase in August.
During the third quarter of 2004, the finished goods index increased at a 0.3-percent seasonally adjusted annual rate, after rising at a 4.7-percent rate during the second quarter of 2004. The index for finished goods other than foods and energy climbed at a 1.1-percent seasonally adjusted annual rate during the third quarter of 2004, compared with a 2.9-percent seasonally adjusted annual rate of increase during the second quarter. Among prices for raw and partially processed goods, the intermediate goods index advanced at a 7.8-percent seasonally adjusted annual rate during the third quarter of 2004, following an 11.7-percent seasonally adjusted annual rate of increase from March 2004 to June 2004. Prices for crude goods decreased at an 18.8-percent seasonally adjusted annual rate from June to September, compared with a 23.2-percent seasonally adjusted annual rate of increase in the preceding quarter.
Before seasonal adjustment, the Producer Price Index for Finished Goods rose 0.1 percent in September to 148.7 (1982=100). From September 2003 to September 2004, the finished goods index rose 3.3 percent. Over the same period, prices for finished energy goods climbed 9.2 percent, the index for finished consumer foods increased 2.8 percent, and prices for finished goods other than foods and energy advanced 1.9 percent. At the earlier stages of processing, the index for intermediate goods moved up 8.4 percent, and prices for crude goods rose 14.2 percent for the 12-month period ended September 2004.
Finished goods
The index for finished consumer goods other than foods and energy rose 0.4 percent in September, after declining 0.2 percent in August. The upturn in this index was led by an increase in motor vehicle prices in September. The light motor trucks index increased 0.2 percent, after falling 2.5 percent in August, and passenger car prices rose 1.1 percent in September, following a 1.2-percent decrease in the prior month. The indexes for sanitary papers and health products and household appliances also turned up in September. Prices for mobile homes and women's, girls', and infants' apparel rose more in September than they did in August. The index for cosmetics and other toilet preparations showed no change in September, compared with a decline in the previous month. Conversely, the alcoholic beverages index showed no change in September, after rising 1.3 percent in August. Prices for pharmaceutical preparations and household furniture rose less in September than they did in the prior month. The index for pet food turned down, following an increase in August. From June 2004 to September 2004, the index for finished consumer goods other than foods and energy rose at a 1.0-percent seasonally adjusted annual rate, after increasing at a 2.3-percent seasonally adjusted annual rate from March 2004 to June 2004.Subsequent to a 0.1-percent decrease in August, capital equipment prices rose 0.4 percent in September. As they did in the index for consumer goods other than foods and energy, prices for motor vehicles led the turnaround in the capital equipment index. The indexes for both light motor trucks and passenger cars increased in September, after falling in August. Prices for x-ray and electromedical equipment also turned up in September, and the index for communication and related equipment advanced at a faster pace in September than it did in August. On the other hand, prices for civilian aircraft showed no change, compared with a 1.4-percent increase in the prior month. The indexes for commercial furniture and railroad equipment fell, after rising in the previous month. Price increases slowed from August to September for heavy motor trucks. From June 2004 to September 2004, capital equipment prices rose at a 1.4-percent seasonally adjusted annual rate, after a 3.5-percent seasonally adjusted annual rate of increase from March 2004 to June 2004.
