Export prices in February 2009

Export prices edged down 0.1 percent in February as a 1.7-percent drop in agricultural prices more than offset a 0.1-percent increase in nonagricultural prices. The drop in export prices followed a 0.5-percent increase in January; the index declined in each of the previous five months and decreased 4.5 percent for the year ended in February.

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Agricultural prices fell for the fourth time in the past five months in February after rising 6.2 percent in January. The February decrease was led by lower prices for corn, wheat, and soybeans, all of which turned down after rising in January. Agricultural export prices fell 15.2 percent over the past year, the largest annual decrease since the index was first published in 1985.

Nonagricultural prices ticked up 0.1 percent for the second consecutive month in February, the first monthly advances for the index since July 2008. Despite the modest upturn, the index declined 3.3 percent for the February 2008-2009 period.

These data are from the BLS International Price program. Export price data are subject to revision. Learn more in "U.S. Import and Export Price Indexes – February 2009" (PDF) (HTML), news release USDL 09-0248.