Price index of first-hand domestic sales, 15 May 2006

The fall in the price index of first-hand domestic sales is mainly caused by the decrease in the prices of energy goods. Machinery and transport equipment as well as miscellaneous manufactured articles also experienced a fall in prices. Food experienced an opposite price development. Fish and vegetable prices increased 3.9 and 3.6 per cent respectively.

Prices of crude materials, except fuels, went up 2.1 per cent. This was mainly influenced by metalliferous ores and metal scrap, which went up 3.2 per cent. This is caused by a general increase in crude metals on the spot market. Nickel has experienced a 15 per cent increase in price (USD) on the London Metal Exchange (LME) from April. The increase in price of nickel is 10 per cent when converted to Norwegian Kroner.

The prices related to products for the domestic market decreased by 2.2 per cent compared to April. There are price increases in all groupings except for mineral fuels and electric power, which decreased by 8 per cent.

Increase of 6.3 per cent in a year

It was the prices of energy goods, that had the greatest impact on the 12-month period as a whole. Prices of energy goods are up 28 per cent from May 2005 to May 2006. Prices of petroleum products and electricity prices increased by 32.9 and 20.4 per cent respectively. Food prices increased by 5.8 per cent and prices on machinery and transport equipment decreased by 0.9 per cent compared to May 2005.