Provisional data indicate that the industrial producer price index in February decreased by 1.83 per cent over the previous month, the National Statistics Office said today.
During February, the producer price index for total industry decreased by 1.83 per cent to 95.25 points. Prices for intermediate goods decreased by 4.35 per cent. Capital goods increased by 0.44 per cent and consumer goods rose by 0.28 per cent. Energy prices remained constant.
Prices within the domestic market increased by 0.11 per cent. This was due to increases within the capital goods by 1.14 per cent and in intermediate goods by 0.08 per cent. This increase was mitigated by a decrease of 0.04 per cent within consumer goods. Prices for the non-domestic market decreased by 3.19 per cent as prices in respect of goods destined for the non-euro area and euro area decreased by 3.74 and 2.27 per cent respectively.
On an annual basis, the industrial producer price index decreased by 2.60 per cent. The downturn resulted from price decreases in energy (6.98 per cent) and intermediate goods (4.84 per cent). Prices with regard to consumer goods and capital goods rose by 1.68 and 0.43 per cent respectively.
Producer prices for the domestic market decreased by 2.12 per cent, mainly on account of a drop in prices for energy (6.98 per cent) and intermediate goods (1.06 per cent). On the other hand increases were found in capital goods (1.09 per cent) and in consumer goods (1.02 per cent).
Non-domestic prices decreased by 2.90 per cent, resulting from decreases of 3.28 per cent and 2.28 per cent within the non-euro and euro area respectively.