The Producer Price Index for the Net Output of Total Manufacturing Industries inched up 0.1 percent in July after increasing 0.6 percent in June, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) reported Tuesday.
The Producer Price Index for Finished Goods showed a slight increase, up 0.1 percent in July. This increase followed a 0.5-percent advance in June and a 0.2-percent rise in May.
Prices for finished goods other than foods and energy decreased 0.3 percent in July after moving up
0.2 percent in the previous month.
At the earlier stages of processing, prices received by manufacturers of intermediate goods advanced 0.5 percent compared with a 0.7-percent gain in June. The index for crude materials climbed 3.1 percent after declining 1.7 percent in the prior month.
Prices for materials for durable manufacturing advanced 2.3 percent in July following a 1.1 percent gain in the prior month. The index for primary nonferrous metals jumped 11.4 percent after falling 3.5 percent in June.
Prices for aluminum mill shapes fell 2.3 percent after rising 2.4 percent in June. The index for secondary aluminum also turned down in July following a gain in the previous month. Prices for semifinished steel mill products, cold finished steel bars, and unprocessed filament yarns increased less than they had in June.