IWS Documented News DAILY POSTINGS

IWS Documented News Service

_______________________________

Institute for Workplace Studies-----------------Professor Samuel B. Bacharach

School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies

Cornell University

16 East 34th Street, 4th floor--------------------Stuart Basefsky

New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau

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NOTE: Funding for this service ends on 31 March 2015. Postings will end on this date as well.

 

PRODUCER PRICE INDEXES - FEBRUARY 2015 [13 March 2015]

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

or

http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/ppi.pdf

[full-text, 32 pages]

and

Supplemental Files Table of Contents

http://www.bls.gov/web/ppi.supp.toc.htm

 

 

The Producer Price Index for final demand fell 0.5 percent in February, seasonally adjusted, the

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Final demand prices moved down 0.8 percent in

January and 0.2 percent in December. On an unadjusted basis, the index for final demand

decreased 0.6 percent for the 12 months ended in February. (See table A.)

 

In February, about 70 percent of the decline in final demand prices can be attributed to a 0.5-

percent decrease in the index for final demand services. Prices for final demand goods moved

down 0.4 percent.

 

Within intermediate demand, the index for processed goods fell 0.6 percent, the index for

unprocessed goods dropped 3.9 percent, and prices for services edged up 0.1 percent. (See tables

B and C.)

 

Final Demand

 

Final demand services:  Prices for final demand services fell 0.5 percent in February, the largest

decline since the inception of the index in December 2009. Leading the decrease, margins for final

demand trade services dropped 1.5 percent. (Trade indexes measure changes in margins received by

wholesalers and retailers.) The index for final demand transportation and warehousing services also

moved down 1.5 percent. In contrast, prices for final demand services less trade, transportation, and

warehousing rose 0.3 percent.

 

Product detail:  In February, nearly 30 percent of the decline in the index for final demand services

can be traced to margins for fuels and lubricants retailing, which fell 13.4 percent. The indexes for

machinery, equipment, parts, and supplies wholesaling; food and alcohol retailing; apparel, jewelry,

footwear, and accessories retailing; truck transportation of freight; and wireless telecommunication

services also moved lower. Conversely, prices for inpatient care advanced 0.6 percent. The indexes

for outpatient care (partial) and for TV, video, and photographic equipment and supplies wholesaling

also increased. (See table 4.)

 

Final demand goods:  The index for final demand goods moved down 0.4 percent in February, the

eighth consecutive decrease. Over two-thirds of the decline in February can be attributed to prices for

final demand foods, which fell 1.6 percent. The index for final demand goods less foods and energy

inched down 0.1 percent, and prices for final demand energy were unchanged.

 

Product detail:  About a quarter of the decline in prices for final demand goods can be traced to the

index for fresh and dry vegetables, which dropped 17.1 percent. Prices for iron and steel scrap,

meats, jet fuel, industrial chemicals, and processed poultry also moved lower. In contrast, the index

for gasoline rose 1.5 percent. Prices for light motor trucks and chicken eggs also moved up.

 

AND MUCH MORE...including TABLES....

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