Import prices up by 1.3 per cent in May

Import prices rose by 1.3 per cent from April to May, the rise being attributable mainly to more expensive crude oil, coffee beans and metallic ores. In the year to May import prices have risen by 0.5 per cent. This information can be gathered from the Import Price Index of Statistics Finland.

Export prices in Maywere on a par with those of April. In the year to May, in contrast, they have fallen by 4.6 per cent.

Wholesale prices rose by 0.5 per cent from April to May, due in particular to the higher prices of raw materials and output commodities. In the year to May wholesale prices have risen by 1.5 per cent. The wholesale prices of domestic goods have risen by 1.9 per cent over the year and those of imported goods by 0.7 per cent.

The HWWA index, which measures the dollar prices of raw materials on the world market, rose by 5.4 per cent from April to May. The rise was accounted for by more expensive raw materials of food products, beverages and tobacco as well as by the higher prices of energy and non-ferrous metals. In the year to May the HWWA index has risen by 3.9 per cent.

Changes in producer price indices from April to May and in the year to May 1997, %

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Indices	4/97-5/97	5/96-5/97
	%	%
Wholesale price index	0.5	1.5
Producer price index for manufactured goods	0.2	-0.7
Basic price index for domestic supply	0.6	1.3
Export price index	0.0	-4.6
Import price index	1.3	0.5

Source: Producer Price Indices, May 1997
Further information: Jarmo Ranki, tel. +358 9 1734 3472, or Anne Forss, tel. +358 9 1734 3469