Monthly factory gate prices increased by 0.2%in February 2008. This compares to a decrease of 0.6% recorded for February 2007. As a result, the annual percentage change showed a decrease of 3.0% in February 2008, compared with a decrease of 3.8% in January 2008.
In the month, the price index for export sales increased by 0.2% while the index for home sales increased by 0.6%. In the year there was a decrease in the price index for export sales of 4.8% and an increase of 4.6% in respect of the price index for home sales.
In the month the most significant changes were increases in watches and clocks (+2.3%). Contributing to the annual change were decreases in Basic chemicals (-4.3%).
A further analysis of Wholesale price changes by sector of use shows that:
• Year on year, the price of Capital Goods increased by 3.7%, while there was a monthly price increase of 0.4%.
• The price of Petroleum fuels increased by 25.4% since February 2007. In February 2008, there was a monthly decrease in Petroleum fuels by 3.1%.