According to the report from Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), in April 2020 the index of producer prices for industrial products decreased by 1.9% compared with the corresponding month of the preceding year. Economists had expected a 1.8% decrease. In March the annual rate of change all over had been -0.8%.

Compared with the preceding month March the overall index fell by 0.7% in April 2020 (-0.8% in March). Economists had expected a 0.6% decrease.

Energy prices as a whole decreased by 7.3% (-1.8% compared to March 2020). On an annual basis, prices of petroleum products were down 23.3%. They fell by 10.1% compared to March 2020. A great part of this decrease presumably is due to the fallen decline in demand during the Corona pandemic. Prices of natural gas (distribution) decreased by 13.0% whereas prices of electricity fell by 2.0%.

The overall index disregarding energy was 0.1% down on April 2019 and fell by 0.3% compared to March 2020.

Prices of intermediate goods decreased by 2.7% compared to April 2019 (-0.5% on March 2020). Prices of non-durable consumer goods increased by 2.8% compared to April 2019 (-0.2% on March 2020). Food prices were up 3.8% on April 2019.