U.S. PPI for final demand increases 0.1 pct in April

HOUSTON, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The Producer Price Index (PPI) for final demand rose just 0.1 percent in April, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Wednesday.

The Producer Price Index, which measures costs for goods at the factory gate, rose 0.1 percent in April after the final demand prices rose 0.3 percent in March and 0.2 percent in February.

On an unadjusted basis, the final demand index increased 2.6 percent for the 12 months ended in April.

The rise in final demand prices is attributable to a 0.1-percent advance in the index for final demand services. However, the index for final demand goods remained unchanged.

The index for final demand less foods, energy, and trade services, also nudged up 0.1 percent last month, after increasing 0.4 percent in March. For the 12 months ending in April, prices for final demand less foods, energy, and trade services, increased 2.5 percent.

Prices for final demand services inched up 0.1 percent in the fourth straight rise. The advance in April was led by the index for final demand trade services, which increased 0.2 percent. Prices for final demand transportation and warehousing services also moved higher, rising 0.6 percent.

Prices for final demand goods were unchanged in April after rising 0.3 percent in March. In April, a 0.3-percent rise in the index for final demand goods less foods and energy and a 0.1- percent advance in prices for final demand energy offset a 1.1-percent drop in the index for final demand foods. Enditem