Industrial prices remain soft

Although the overall finished goods producer price index (PPI) moved up 0.2% during October, prices for most items used at the manufacturing shop level showed little or no increase. The index for capital equipment showed no change in October, after rising a surprising 0.4% the month before. Prices for durable and nondurable manufacturing materials declined between September-October. PRODUCER PRICE INDICES

Annual change, %

Oct. 1998 1997 1998 1999

Intermediate goods* 132.7 0.2 -0.2 1.9

Finished goods* 144.6 0.3 0.6 2.2

Mech. power trans 158.0 2.2 1.8 2.0

Machinery and equipment 124.7 -0.5 -1.1 1.3

Material handling equip. 132.0 1.8 1.3 1.8

* Core rate, excluding food and energy items Source: U.S. Labor Dept.

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