April 2005 U.S. Import and Export Price Indexes

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- APRIL 2005 -

The U.S. Import Price Index increased 0.8 percent in April, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. The advance, the fourth in a row, followed a 2.0 percent increase in March, and was again led by rising petroleum prices. Export prices rose 0.6 percent in April after increasing the same amount in March.

Import Goods

Prices for overall imports increased 0.8 percent in April after rising 3.5 percent over the first three months of 2005. Petroleum prices rose 3.1 percent in April after a 12.3 percent jump in March and increases of 5.0 percent and 2.2 percent, respectively, in February and January. The price index for import petroleum advanced 43.1 percent over the past year. Prices for nonpetroleum imports also increased in April, rising 0.4 percent, following a 0.3 percent advance in March. Nonpetroleum import prices have declined only once in the past 12 months and increased 3.0 percent over that period. Overall import prices rose 8.1 percent for the year ended in April.

The price index for nonpetroleum industrial supplies and materials rose 2.1 percent in April. Higher natural gas prices led the increase, although rising prices for metals, chemicals, and paper also helped to more than offset lower prices for import building materials. Nonpetroleum industrial supplies and materials prices rose 11.5 percent over the April 2004-2005 period. Automotive vehicle prices also advanced in April, increasing 0.2 percent for the month. Although the index has not recorded a decline since September 2003, the April rise was the first increase in four months. Prices for automotive vehicles rose 1.4 percent over the past 12 months.

In contrast, the price indexes for capital goods and for consumer goods declined 0.1 percent in April. The drop in capital goods prices was the third in a row and, like the previous two months, was led by decreasing computer prices. Capital goods prices decreased 0.5 percent over the past year. The decline in consumer goods followed a 0.3 percent decrease in March, but despite the recent declines, the index increased 1.1 percent for the year ended in April.

Export Goods

Prices of exports rose 0.6 percent for the second consecutive month in April, as both agricultural and nonagricultural prices increased. The price index for agricultural exports advanced a modest 0.3 percent following a 3.8 percent jump in March. Despite the recent increases, agricultural prices were down 9.6 percent over the past year. Prices for nonagricultural exports rose 0.5 percent in April. The increase followed a similar advance of 0.4 percent in March, and continued an upward trend over the past year and a half. In contrast to agricultural prices, nonagricultural prices increased 4.4 percent for the year ended in April. Overall export prices advanced 3.1 percent over the same period.

A 2.0 percent rise in nonagricultural industrial supplies and materials prices led the April advance in nonagricultural prices. The increase was attributable to higher prices for fuels, metals, and chemicals. Nonagricultural industrial supplies and materials prices rose 14.9 percent over the past 12 months. Increasing prices for consumer goods and for automotive vehicles also contributed to the rise in overall nonagricultural prices. The price index for consumer goods increased 0.3 percent in April and 1.5 percent over the past 12 months. Automotive vehicle prices rose 0.2 percent last month, and advanced 1.2 percent for the year ended in April.

A 0.3 percent decrease in the price index for capital goods, which accounts for almost 40 percent of exports, partially offset the increase in overall export prices. The decrease in capital goods prices followed a modest 0.1 percent drop in March and was the largest monthly decline since June 2004. Prices for capital goods recorded no change over the past year.

Imports by Locality of Origin

Import prices from Canada increased 1.2 percent in April as a 5.7 percent rise in nonmanufactured goods more than offset a modest 0.2 percent decline in manufactured goods. The April increase was largely attributed to higher fuel prices and followed a 2.6 percent advance in March. Prices of imports from Canada rose 10.3 percent over the past 12 months.

Higher fuel prices also contributed to increases in the price indexes for imports from the European Union and from Mexico. Import prices from the European Union rose 0.2 percent in April and 5.5 percent over the past year. Prices of imports from Mexico advanced 0.3 percent last month and 7.2 percent for the year ended in April.

The price indexes of imports from China and from Japan rose 0.2 percent and 0.1 percent, respectively, in April. Despite last month’s increase, import prices from China declined 0.4 percent over the past 12 months. Prices of imports from Japan increased 1.1 percent for the April 2004-2005 period.

Import and Export Services

Import air passenger fares rose 6.3 percent in April, the first increase since December and the largest monthly advance since June 2004. Air passenger fares from each of the major import regions increased in April, although the 8.4 percent rise in European fares had the largest impact on overall prices. The price index for import air passenger fares increased 5.1 percent for the year ended in April.

In contrast, export air passenger fares decreased 1.8 percent in April following a 1.3 percent increase in March. Lower European and Asian fares both contributed to the overall decline. Despite the April drop, export air passenger fares increased 8.2 percent over the past year.