Price index of first-hand domestic sales, 15 July 2001

The prices of mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials decreased by 9.4 per cent from June to July. Both oil and oil products, and electricity, had a rather strong price decline of 10.5 and 6.8 per cent respectively. The crude materials also showed a price fall, and here pulp and waste paper together with metalliferous ores and metal scrap were the main contributors.

The 12-month rate, July 2000-July 2001: Prices up 0.3 per cent

The 12-month growth for the price index of first-hand domestic sales was 0.3 per cent this month. This is mainly due to prices of food and live animals, chemicals and transport equipment. Within the group food and live animals, which rose by 4.7 per cent this 12-month period, vegetables and fruits had the largest price rise - 16.9 per cent. The prices of crude materials, and mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials decreased by 4.8 and 6.6 per cent.

Changes in the 12-month rate: The price development falls off

After falling from 5.0 per cent in May to 2.7 per cent in June, the 12-month rate of the total index went further down ending at 0.3 per cent in July. A major contributor is the prices of mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials that went from 5.5 per cent in May to 1.2 per cent in June, and further down to a negative 6.6 per cent in July. The decline is partly due to a rise in the prices from May to June last year, and partly due to a fall in the same period this year. In addition, the prices fell stronger from June to July this year than last year. The prices of crude materials show a similar development, after falling from 3.4 per cent in May to minus 2.6 per cent in June and to minus 4.8 per cent in July. The decline may to a great degree be attributed to lower prices of pulp and waste paper plus metalliferous ores and metal scrap.