Price index of first-hand domestic sales, 15 September 2005

Prices of mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials decreased by 0.8 per cent. Prices of petroleum and petroleum products decreased by 0.1 per cent. The decline in prices of petroleum and petroleum products was mainly due to lower demand on the world market. Prices of electricity decreased by 3.8 per cent, to the same level as July this year. Prices of food went down by 0.2 per cent this month, due to lower prices in all groups, except coffee and animal feeding stuffs. Particularly fruit and vegetables showed a marked decrease. This was mainly due to good seasonal supplies of Norwegian goods on the fruit- and vegetables market. Crude materials showed a price fall of 1.6 per cent, where all groups showed a price decrease except wood.

The price decrease in the overall domestic market was 0.4 per cent, mainly driven by lower prices of petroleum and petroleum products, food, crude materials and electricity.

The 12-month rate, September 2004 to September 2005: up 3.6 per cent

The overall 12-month rate showed a rise in prices of 3.6 per cent; mainly due to a 41.1 per cent increase in prices of petroleum and petroleum products. Prices of electricity went down 7.6 per cent. Crude materials and transport equipment showed a price fall of 0.8 and 1.4 per cent, respectively. The price drop in crude materials was mainly due to lower prices of pulp and waste paper (-5.9) and metalliferous ores and metal scrap (-4.1). Within the group machinery and transport equipment, office machines and data processing machines showed a decrease of 9.8 per cent compared with last year.