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German Producer Prices Edge Upward In February

Cost of raw materials and energy for German manufacturers rose 0.9 percent from a year earlier, largely due to a natural gas price increase, the Federal Statistical Office said.

FRANKFURT (AP) -- The cost of raw materials and energy for German manufacturers rose 0.9 percent in February from a year earlier, largely due to a price increase in natural gas, the Federal Statistical Office said Friday.

The Wiesbaden-based office said that compared to January, the producer price index fell 0.5 percent.

Energy prices rose an overall 4.8 percent, though different fuels showed varying trends. The price of natural gas rose 32 percent since February 2008, while petroleum-based fuels were 21 percent cheaper since then.

The statistics office said prices for components and ingredients used in industrial production fell 2.7 percent in February 2009, while individual products and categories also showed varying trends.

The price of copper fell 40 percent while the cost of wheat flour fell 26 percent. On the other hand, the price for fertilizers rose 44 percent.

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