Producer price index, 15 February 2003

Prices of refined petroleum products increased by 9.8 per cent from January to February. According to the London Spot Market - prices of unleaded gasoline and heavy fuel increased by 12.1 and 2.7 per cent respectively. Chemicals and chemical products increased by 2.5 per cent, and basic metals by 2.8 per cent.

According to the main industrial groupings - prices of energy goods increased by 3.1 per cent, and intermediate goods and capital goods by 0.9 and 0.6 per cent respectively. On the other hand consumer goods experienced only insignificant changes.

In the domestic market manufacturing prices showed a 0.9 per cent rise. This development was mainly due to increasing prices in refined petroleum products and food products.

12-month rate, February 2002 - February 2003

Manufacturing prices increased by 2.3 per cent compared with figures from February 2002. This development was mainly due to an increase of 36 per cent for refined petroleum prices, but a decrease in basic metals and food products of 7.4 and 1.7 per cent respectively counteracted this price rise. Prices of pulp, paper and paper products showed a decline as well.

According to the main industrial groupings - energy goods increased by 25.2 per cent compared with figures for February 2002, while intermediate goods decreased by 2.1 per cent.