The price index for U.S. imports advanced 0.5 percent in April, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today, after ticking up 0.1 percent the previous month. Higher fuel prices and nonfuel prices each contributed to the increase in April. U.S. export prices rose 0.2 percent in April following a 0.1-percent

advance in March. Prices for U.S. exports have not recorded a monthly decline since the index fell 0.8 percent in August 2016.

U.S. export prices continued to rise in April, increasing 0.2 percent. Higher prices for both agricultural and nonagricultural exports contributed to the overall advance in export prices. Prices for U.S. exports rose 3.0 percent over the past 12 months following a 5.1-percent drop for the year ended April 2016.