–Dec Producer Output Prices -0.2% m/m; +4.8% y/y
–Dec Core Output Prices -0.1% m/m; +3.0% y/y
–Dec Producer Input Prices -0.6% m/m; +8.7% y/y
LONDON (MNI) – Output price inflation eased to its lowest level for
a year in December as the price of petroleum, chemicals and transport
eased during the month, figures from National Statistics showed Friday.
Headline output prices fell by 0.2% on the month and were up 4.8%
on the year, down from 5.4% in the previous month. This was below the
median unchanged prices on the month and a rise of 4.9% on the year and
was also the first monthly decline in prices since June 2010.
Output price inflation hit a peak of 6.1% in July 2010, driven
higher by rising petrol and commodity prices but have been on a strong
downward trend since.
As base effects of previous years price increases fall out of the
annual comparison, output price inflation looks set to continue to ease
over the coming months.
Core output prices which exclude food, beverages, tobacco and
petroleum were down 0.1% on the month and up 3% on the year. This was
also below the median for no monthly change in prices and a rise of 3.2%
on the year.
Input prices were down 0.6% on the month and up 8.7% on the year,
below the median for a monthly drop of 0.3% and rise of 8.9% on the
year.
The main reason was a 1% fall in crude oil prices on the month and
also a 1.3% drop in imported chemical product prices.
Other imported parts and equipment and also imported materials
prices fell 0.6% and 0.7% on the month respectively.
–London bureau: 0044 20 7862 7491; email: drobinson@marketnews.com
[TOPICS: M$B$$$,MABDS$]
