June Import Prices Drop 0.2%; Export Prices Fall 0.1%

WASHINGTON — U.S. import prices fell by 0.2% in June, though energy prices rebounded after sharp drops in April and May, leaving the non-energy components down again, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Thursday.

Fuel prices rose by 0.1%, with petroleum import prices up 0.2%, but natural gas prices down 1.2% after increases in the previous two months.

Excluding both food and fuels, import prices fell 0.2% in June, continuing the downward trend on another month of widespread price declines.

Industrial supply prices outside of fuels fell 1.0%, while capital goods prices fell 0.1%, auto prices were down 0.3%, consumer goods prices fell 0.1%, and food prices were down 1.2%.

Total import prices were up 0.2% over the last 12 months, compared with a 1.9% year/year decline in May, but non-fuel import prices were down 1.0% over that period.

By region, prices for imports from China fell 0.1% in June, while prices of imports from Canada fell 0.2% and import prices from the European Union down 0.1%. Import prices from Japan dropped 0.5% and were down 2.0% year/year, the largest decline since January 2003.

Total export prices fell 0.1% in June, as agricultural export prices rose 0.6% and export prices excluding agriculture were down 0.2%.

Market News International is a real-time global news service for fixed-income and foreign exchange market professionals. See www.marketnews.com.

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