18 April 2002
Inquiries: Mr Jari Harjunpää +358 9 1734 3472, Ms
Christina Harjunpää +358 9 1734 3469
Director in charge: Mr Kari Molnar
Import prices rose slightly in March
According to Statistics Finland, import prices went up by 0.2 per cent from February to March. The rise was principally attributable to higher prices of base metals and crude oil. The rise of the index was held back by lower prices of basic chemicals and oil products. Import prices have now been rising in four successive months. From last year's March import prices fell by 3.8 per cent. The fall was mainly due to lower prices of crude oil, chemicals and chemical products, and base metals.
Export prices rose by 0.2 per cent from February to March. On the monthly level, export prices last declined in last year's December. From March 2001 export prices fell by 4.1 per cent. The fall was primarily due to lower prices of pulp, paper, paper products and oil products. The fall of prices was curbed by higher prices of agricultural products and machinery and equipment.
The producer prices for manufactured products, that is, prices for goods intended for the domestic market rose by 0.3 per cent from February to March, which was caused by higher prices of coke, oil products and base metals. The rise of prices was restrained by lower price of electricity. From last year's March producer prices for manufactured products went down by 0.2 per cent.
Month-on-month and year-on-year changes of Producer Price Indices in March 2002 (1995=100)
>
|
Indices |
Point figure |
Change, % |
Change, % |
|
Producer price index for manufactured products |
106.3 |
0.3 |
-0.2 |
|
Export price index |
97.4 |
0.2 |
-4.1 |
|
Import price index |
103.9 |
0.2 |
-3.8 |
|
Basic price index for domestic supply |
106.4 |
0.2 |
-1.2 |
|
Wholesale price index |
106.8 |
0.3 |
-0.8 |
Producer price indices measure the development of commodity prices from enterprises' viewpoint. The basic price index for domestic supply measures the development of prices exclusive of tax of goods used in Finland as they enter the market. The wholesale price index describes the change in the purchase prices of goods used in Finland inclusive of tax. Both these indices contain domestic and imported goods.
Source: Producer Price Indices 2002, March. Statistics Finland