Annual Manufacturing Prices Fall 2.6% In February

Monthly factory gate prices increased by 1.0% in February. This compares to an increase of 0.9% recorded for February last year. As a result, the annual percentage change showed a decrease of 2.6% in February, compared with an annual decrease of 2.8% in January.

During the month, the price index for export sales increased by 1.0% while the index for home sales increased by 0.6%.

In the year there was an decrease in the price index for export sales of 3.2% (this can be influenced by currency fluctuations) and a decrease of 0.7% in respect of the price index for home sales.

In the month the most significant changes were increases in radio, television and communication equipment (up by 2.1%), office machinery and computers (up 2.0%) and chemicals (up0.9%), while there was a decrease in pharmaceuticals and other chemical products (including man-made fibres) (which fell by 1.1%).