Producer price indices - March 2010

In March 2010, agricultural and industrial producer prices and market services prices increased by 1.3%, 0.1% and 0.7%, respectively. Construction work prices remained unchanged.
In comparison to March 2009, agricultural and industrial producer prices and market services prices were lower by 4.9%, 0.8% and 1.9%, respectively. Construction work prices increased by 0.2%.
Monthly changes

Agricultural producer prices increased by 1.3% in total. Prices of crop products grew by 1.5% due to higher prices of vegetables (+19.3%), oil plants (+1.9%) and cereals (+1.2%). Lower were prices of potatoes (-11.3%) and fruit (-4.0%). Prices of animal products increased by 1.1%, prices of milk by 2.4%, eggs by 3.0% and cattle for slaughter by 1.0%. In contrast, prices of pigs for slaughter dropped by 0.7%.

Industrial producer prices increased by 0.1% (-0.3% in February). Prices went up particularly in ‘coke, refined petroleum products’ (+6.9%), ‘chemicals and chemical products’ (+0.7%) and ‘basic metals, fabricated metal products’ (+0.3%). Prices decreased the most significantly in ‘transport equipments’ (-1.2%), ‘rubber and plastic products’ (-0.8%) and ‘food products, beverages and tobacco’ (-0.4%).

Construction work prices remained unchanged, construction material input prices fell by 0.3%.

Market services prices in the business sphere grew by 0.7%, affected by price increase in advertising and market research services (+7.4%). Prices in legal and accounting services and freight transport increased by 0.8% and 0.6%, respectively. On the decrease were prices in employment services (-0.9%), office administrative and support services (-0.8%) and information services (-0.7%). Market services prices excluding advertising services grew in total by 0.1%.

Annual changes

Agricultural producer prices were down by 4.9% (-5.6% in February). Prices of crop products fell by 11.2%, mainly due to price decreases in potatoes (-31.6%), cereals (-11.2%), fruit (-10.7%) and oil plants (-5.8%). In contrast, higher were prices of vegetables (+49.7%). Animal products prices increased (+2.4%). Increases were registered for prices of milk (+13.6%) and eggs (+6.0%). On the decrease were prices of cattle for slaughter (-2.3%), poultry (-3.5%) and pigs for slaughter (-9.7%).

Industrial producer prices went down by 0.8% (-2.0% in February). Prices decreased the most in ‘basic metals, fabricated metal products’ (-10.1%), ‘transport equipments’ (-6.3%) and ‘food products, beverages and tobacco’ (-3.6%). Prices increased primarily in ‘coke, refined petroleum products’ (+41.5%) and ‘chemicals and chemical products’ (+19.1%).
Among the main industrial groupings, prices of ‘capital goods’ (-3.7%) decreased the most; the largest increase was recorded for ‘energy’ (+6.2%).

Construction work prices were up by 0.2% (+0.3% in February). Construction material input prices were down by 2.2% (-3.1% in February).

Market services prices in the business sphere in total were down by 1.9% (-1.0% in February). Decreasing were prices in advertising and market research services (-8.9%), real estate services (-3.2%), freight transport (-2.4%) and telecommunications services (-2.7%). In contrast, higher prices were recorded in employment services (+11.5%) and computer programming, consultancy (+0.4%). Market services prices excluding advertising services decreased by 0.9%.

Industrial producer prices in the EU – February 2010*

According to the Eurostat News Release, industrial producer prices in the EU27 increased by 0.1% in February (+0.8% in January) month-on-month. Among Member States for which data are available, the highest increases in the total index were recorded in Lithuania (+1.7%), Finland (+1.6%) and Sweden (+1.4%). Prices decreased the most in Slovakia (-1.7%) and the Czech Republic (-0.3%). Prices went down in Germany, Bulgaria, the United Kingdom and Cyprus (-0.2% all).

EU27 producer prices rose by 0.4% in February (no change in January) year-on-year. The highest increases were observed in Denmark (+7.2%), Greece (+6.1%) and Finland (+4.3%). The largest decreases were observed in Latvia (-8.5%), Slovakia (-7.6%), Germany and Lithuania (-3.1% both).

* Preliminary data

Analysis - Producer price indices in the first quarter of 2010

---

Notes
Contact: Miloslav Beranek, phone (+420) 274 052 665, e-mail: miloslav.beranek@csu.gov.cz
Hana Sykorova, phone (+420) 274 054 101, e-mail: hana.sykorova@csu.gov.cz
Data source: CZSO surveys
End of data collection / end of data processing:
Agricultural producer price indices: 24th calendar day of reference month / 8th calendar day of the following month
Industrial producer price indices: 20th calendar day of reference month / 7th calendar day of the following month
Construction work price indices: last calendar day of reference month / 5th working day of the following month
Market services price indices: 15th calendar day of reference month / 7th calendar day of the following month
Except for the construction work price indices, the data are finalised. Construction work price indices are updated using the finished quarterly survey and the finalised data are released on the 45th calendar day of the following quarter.
Related publications: 7001-10 Price Indices of Construction Work, Types of Constructions and Construction Production Costs
7003-10 Producer Price Indices – Basic Information
7004-10 Industrial Producer Price Indices
7005-10 Agricultural Producer Price Indices
7008-10 Market Services Price Indices in the Business Sphere
( http://www.czso.cz/csu/2010edicniplan.nsf/engs/2010-7