Mining, Utilities, and Manufacturing Industries.

The rise in the Producer Price Index for the Net Output of Total Mining, Utilities, and Manufacturing Industries slowed to 1.2 percent in April from 2.3 percent in March. (Net output price indexes are not seasonally adjusted.) Prices received by the petroleum and coal products industry group increased 3.3 percent after jumping 13.2 percent in the prior month. The indexes for the food manufacturing and the oil and gas extraction industry groups also rose less than they had in March. Prices received by the electrical equipment and appliance industry group turned down in April after increasing a month earlier. By contrast, partially offsetting the deceleration in the index for total mining, utilities, and manufacturing industries, the index for the electric power generation, distribution, and transmission industry group rose 2.7 percent in April after advancing 0.5 percent in the previous month.

Prices received by the chemical manufacturing industry group also increased more than in March. The index for the transportation equipment industry group turned up after falling in the prior month. Prices received by the industry groups for furniture and related products manufacturing and for printing and related support activities advanced after no change in March. In April, the Producer Price Index for the Net Output of Total Mining, Utilities, and Manufacturing Industries was 111.6 (December 2006 = 100), 8.2 percent above its year-ago level.

Trade Industries.

The increase in the Producer Price Index for the Net Output of Total Trade Industries accelerated to 1.2 percent from 0.3 percent in March. (Trade indexes measure changes in margins received by wholesalers and retailers.) Margins received by wholesalers of nondurable goods turned up 1.4 percent in April after falling 2.1 percent in the previous month. The margin index for grocery stores also advanced after decreasing in March. Margins received by electronics and appliance stores, gasoline stations, department stores, and clothing stores rose more than a month earlier. By contrast, the margin index for wholesalers of durable goods turned down 1.4 percent in April after advancing 1.9 percent in the prior month. Margins received by furniture stores also decreased after rising in March. In April, the Producer Price Index for the Net Output of Total Trade Industries was 106.7 (December 2006 = 100), 3.5 percent above its year-ago level.

Transportation and Warehousing Industries.

The rise in the Producer Price Index for the Net Output of Total Transportation and Warehousing Industries accelerated to 1.2 percent from 1.0 percent in March. Prices received by the specialized freight trucking industry group rose 4.3 percent following a 0.3-percent increase in the previous month. The industry indexes for long distance general freight trucking (truckload) and pipeline transportation of crude oil also advanced more than in March. Prices received by the industries for scheduled freight air transportation and freight transportation arrangement turned up in April after declining in the preceding month.

By contrast, the increase in the industry index for scheduled passenger air transportation slowed to 0.9 percent from 3.3 percent in March. Prices received by couriers and long distance general freight truckers (less than truckload) also rose less than a month earlier. In April, the Producer Price Index for the Net Output for Total Transportation and Warehousing Industries was 110.5 (December 2006 = 100), 7.5 percent above its year-ago level.

Traditional Service Industries.

The Producer Price Index for the Net Output of Total Traditional Service Industries turned up 0.7 percent in April after falling 0.6 percent in March. The index for the depository credit intermediation industry group advanced 4.4 percent following a 7.3-percent decrease a month earlier. Prices received by offices of physicians (excluding mental health) also turned up in April, and the index for cellular and other wireless carriers advanced more than in March. Conversely, the increase in the index for general and medical surgical hospitals slowed to 0.1 percent in April from 0.5 percent in the previous month. Prices received by direct health and medical insurance carriers, investment bankers and securities dealers, and software publishers also rose less than in March. The index for passenger car rental turned down after advancing in the prior month. In April, the Producer Price Index for the Net Output of Total Traditional Service Industries was 102.0 (December 2006 = 100), 0.9 percent above its year-ago level.


Available at:

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