Continued fall in export prices in August

The fall in export prices continued in August as well, as prices fell by 1.2 per cent from July to August. Export prices dropped by 1.4 per cent last month. In the year to August they have fallen by 1.5 per cent. This appears from the Export Price Index of Statistics Finland.

The fall in export prices from July to August was attributable to cheaper base metals, paper and paperboard, electrical and optical equipment and chemicals and chemical products. The prices of pulp, instead, continued their rise also in August - the rise was 10 per cent now. The prices of pulp are still 40 per cent cheaper than in August of the year before.

Import prices fell by 0.7 per cent from July to August. The fall was caused by lower prices of electrical and optical equipment, chemicals and chemical products, agricultural products and base metals. In the year to August import prices have risen by 1.5 per cent.

The HWWA index, which measures the dollar prices of raw materials on the world market, rose by 2.3 per cent from July to August. In the year to August the HWWA index was up by 8 per cent.

Changes in producer price indices from July to August and in the year to August 1996, %

Table"

Source: Producer Price Indices, August 1996
Further information: Jarmo Ranki +358 0 1734 3472,
Anne Forss +358 0 1734 3469