Import prices up by almost one per cent in March

Import prices rose by 0.9 per cent from February to March. The rise was due to the higher prices of crude oil, oil products, and fruit, and plants for beverages and spices. In the year to March import prices rose by 0.5 per cent. This appears from the Import Price Index of Statistics Finland.

Export prices rose by 0.6 per cent from February to March. The rise was attributable to more expensive paper and paperboard, furskins, and machinery and equipment. As a whole, export prices have risen by 6.3 per cent in a year.

The export prices of pulp continued their sharp fall in March - prices fell by almost 18 per cent in a year. From December 1995 prices have fallen by as much as 36 per cent.

Wholesale prices fell by 0.3 per cent from February to March. The fall was caused by cheaper domestic goods.

The HWWA index, which measures the dollar prices of raw materials on the world market, rose by 4.7 per cent from February to March. The rise is explained by the price rises in energy raw materials. In the year to March the HWWA index rose by 2.7 per cent.

table

Source: Producer Price Indices, March 1996
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