Manufacturer
Producer prices continue – energy again cheaper
The prices for commercial products were again below the previous year. This also affects consumer prices in the long term.
In Germany, the prices at the manufacturer level fell in April for the second month in a row. The producer prices decreased by 0.9 percent in the year, as the Federal Statistical Office in Wiesbaden announced. In March, prices had already fallen by 0.2 percent and analysts had expected an average decline of 0.6 percent for April. Again, a strong damper caused falling prices for the energy costs.
In the month comparison, producer prices fell by 0.6 percent, as the Federal Office continued. Here analysts had only expected 0.3 percent with a decline.
Energy costs are falling further
The decisive factor for the weak price development was once again the energy costs. These were 6.4 percent cheaper in April than a year ago. Compared to the previous month of March, energy prices fell by 2.9 percent. In the case of prices for natural gas, the Federal Office reported a decline of 6.2 percent in the year.
The price declines with electrical electricity and prices for mineral oil products were even stronger. “Light heating oil cost 16.5 percent less than a year earlier,” says the message.
The index of the producer prices of commercial products measures the development of prices for the products generated in mining, in the processing and in the energy and water management in Germany and sold in Germany. It tends to affect consumer prices where the European Central Bank (ECB) aligns its monetary policy.
dpa
Source: Stern
