Trade Industries.

The Producer Price Index for the Net Output of Total Trade Industries moved up 0.3 percent after increasing 0.5 percent in February. (Trade indexes measure changes in margins received by wholesalers and retailers.) The rate of increase in margins received by department stores slowed to 0.2 percent in March from 3.5 percent in the previous month. The margin indexes for merchant wholesalers of nondurable goods, grocery stores, automobile dealers, and fuel dealers turned down after rising in the prior month. Conversely, margins received by gasoline stations increased 2.7 percent following a 9.8-percent drop a month earlier.

The margin indexes for shoe stores and furniture stores also turned up in March. Margins received by merchant wholesalers of durable goods rose after no change in February. For the first quarter of 2008, the Producer Price Index for the Net Output of Total Trade Industries fell at a 1.9-percent annualized rate after rising at an 8.3-percent annualized rate in the preceding quarter. In March, the Producer Price Index for the Net Output of Total Trade Industries was 105.4 (December 2006 = 100), 2.6 percent above its year-ago level.

Transportation and Warehousing Industries.

The Producer Price Index for the Net Output of Transportation and Warehousing Industries rose 1.0 percent in March following a 0.3-percent increase in the previous month. Prices received by the scheduled passenger air transportation industry advanced 3.3 percent after inching down 0.1 percent a month earlier. The industry indexes for couriers, local general freight trucking, line-haul railroads, and long distance specialized freight trucking of new goods also turned up following declines in the preceding month. By contrast, prices received by the scheduled freight air transportation industry decreased 0.2 percent after climbing 4.1 percent a month earlier. The industry indexes for coastal and Great Lakes freight transportation, general warehousing and storage, and used household and office goods moving also turned down after rising in February. Prices received by the industry for long distance general freight trucking (less than truckload) advanced less than they had in the prior month. From December 2007 to March 2008, the Producer Price Index for the Net Output of Transportation and Warehousing Industries climbed at an 11.4-percent annualized rate following a 7.1-percent annualized rate of increase in the final quarter of 2007. In March, the Producer Price Index for the Net Output of Transportation and Warehousing Industries was 109.2 (December 2006 = 100), 6.7 percent above its year-ago level.

Traditional Service Industries.

The Producer Price Index for the Net Output of Total Traditional Service Industries decreased 0.6 percent in March after edging down 0.1 percent in February. Prices received by the commercial banking industry fell 8.2 percent in March following a 0.8-percent decline a month earlier. The industry indexes for offices of physicians (excluding mental health) and direct life insurance carriers turned down after increasing in the previous month. Prices received by management consultants and wired telecommunication carriers were unchanged in March following advances in February. By contrast, the index for investment banking and securities dealing increased 5.8 percent in March after falling 1.3 percent in February. The indexes for general medical and surgical hospitals, software publishers, and lessors of nonresidential buildings (excluding miniwarehouses) also turned up in March.

Prices received by portfolio managers fell less than they had in February. During the first quarter of 2008, the Producer Price Index for the Net Output of Total Traditional Service Industries declined at a 0.8-percent annualized rate following a 2.7-percent annualized rate of decrease from September to December 2007. In March, the Producer Price Index for the Net Output of Total Traditional Service Industries was 101.3 (December 2006 = 100), 1.2 percent above its year-ago level.


Available at:

http://stats.bls.gov/news.release/ppi.nr0.htm