Import prices in September 2006

The U.S. Import Price Index fell 2.1 percent in September. The decline was the first in six months and was driven by a 10.3-percent drop in petroleum prices.

[Chart data—TXT]

The September decrease in petroleum prices was the largest monthly drop since the index fell 11.4 percent in December 2004.

In contrast, nonpetroleum prices edged up 0.1 percent in September, the sixth consecutive month the index increased. For the year ended in September, the price index for nonpetroleum imports rose 2.0 percent, the same increase as overall import prices for the September 2005-2006 period.

Export prices fell 0.5 percent in September as a 0.7-percent decrease in agricultural prices and a 0.5-percent drop in the price index for nonagricultural goods each factored into the decline.

These data are from the BLS International Price program. Import and export price data are subject to revision. Learn more in "U.S. Import and Export Price Indexes - September 2006" (PDF) (TXT), news release USDL 06-1785.