The Producer Price Index for Finished Goods fell 2.2 percent in November, seasonally adjusted, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported. This decline followed decreases of 2.8 percent in October and 0.4 percent in September. At the earlier stages of processing, prices received by manufacturers of intermediate goods dropped 4.3 percent in November after falling 3.9 percent in the prior month, and the crude goods index declined 12.5 percent subsequent to an 18.6-percent decrease in October.
Among prices for finished goods, the index for energy goods fell 11.2 percent in November following a 12.8-percent drop in the preceding month. Prices for consumer foods were unchanged after declining 0.2 percent in October. By contrast, partially counteracting the slower rate of decrease in the finished goods index, prices for goods other than foods and energy advanced 0.1 percent in November compared with a 0.4-percent rise a month earlier.
Before seasonal adjustment, the Producer Price Index for Finished Goods fell 2.9 percent in November to 172.1. For the 12 months ended in November, prices for finished goods advanced 0.4 percent.
Over the same period, the index for finished goods other than foods and energy rose 4.2 percent, and prices for finished consumer foods increased 6.7 percent. By contrast, the index for finished energy goods decreased 15.4 percent for the 12 months ended in November.
At the earlier stages of processing, prices received by intermediate goods producers advanced 2.6 percent, while the crude goods index declined 19.4 percent.