17 September 2003
Inquiries: Mr Jari Harjunpää +358 9 1734 3472, Mr
Anssi Vuorio +358 9 1734 2934
Director in charge: Mr Kari Molnar
Export prices fell by 4.3 per cent in the year
According to Statistics Finland, export prices went down by 4.3 per cent from last year's August to this year's August. The fall was particularly caused by lower prices of electronic and electrical equipment and pulp and paper and sawn timber and wood products. The fall of the index was curbed by higher prices of measuring, checking and navigating instruments, other special purpose machinery, electric motors and transformers.
Wholesale prices decreased by 0.1 per cent in the year. The fall of wholesale prices was most attributable to lower prices of electrical and electronic equipment and pulp and paper. The fall of the index was especially controlled by higher prices of electricity, crude oil and oil products.
Import prices up by 0.6 per cent in August
Import prices increased by 0.6 per cent from July to August. The rise was particularly due to higher prices of crude oil, processed metal products and metal ores.
Export prices rose by 0.4 per cent from July to August. The rise was mainly caused by higher prices of oil products, paper and paperboard, and other colour metals.
Month-on-month and year-on-year changes of Producer Price Indices in August 2003
>
| Indices (2000=100) |
Point figure 8/2003 |
Change, % 7/2003 - 8/2003 |
Change, % 8/2002 - 8/2003 |
| Producer price index for manufactured products, total | 92.3 | 0.2 | -2.1 |
| Export price index | 85.8 | 0.4 | -4.3 |
| Import price index | 93.6 | 0.6 | 0.1 |
| Basic price index for domestic supply | 98.3 | 0.3 | 0.1 |
| Wholesale price index | 97.2 | 0.3 | -0.1 |
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 2003, August. Statistics Finland