WASHINGTON — U.S. import prices fell 0.9% in November, the largest decline since June, with a sharp drop in energy prices adding to declines in other categories, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Wednesday.
Fuel prices fell by 3.0% in November, while nonfuel import prices fell 0.2%.
Within the fuel price decline, petroleum import prices fell 3.6%, the largest decline since June. Natural gas prices rose 18.2%, but is a much smaller share of fuels than is petroleum products.
Outside of the energy components, there were declines in virtually every category. The price index for imported foods and feeds fell 1.3%, while the price index for industrial supplies excluding fuels fell 0.4%.
Capital goods prices fell 0.3% and consumer goods prices fell 0.1%, while the price index autos and parts was unchanged from October.
Excluding both food and fuels, import prices decreased 0.1% in November compared to a 0.4% rise in October.
Total import prices were down 1.6% over the last 12 months, while non-fuel import prices rose 0.2% over that period.
Prices of imports from China fell 0.1% in November, and were down 0.7% year/year, the largest 12-month decline since March 2010.
Import prices from Canada rose 0.1%, prices from Mexico were down 1.3%, and prices from the European Union and from Japan were both flat
Total export prices fell 0.7% in November, both including and excluding a 0.1% rise in agricultural export prices.
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