U.S. import prices declined 0.3 percent in May, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today, after increasing 0.2 percent in April. Lower fuel prices drove the decrease in May and nonfuel prices recorded no change. The price index for U.S. exports declined 0.7 percent in May following a 0.2-percent advance in April.
The price index for overall exports fell 0.7 percent in May following increases of 0.2 percent in each of the previous 2 months. The May decrease was the first monthly drop since August 2016 when the index declined 0.8 percent. Prices for agricultural and nonagricultural exports contributed to the overall drop
in export prices. The price index for U.S. exports rose 1.4 percent for the year ended in May.