Full text of U.S. Financial Data : October 21, 1999
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October 21, 1999 USFinancialData THE WEEK'S HIGHLIGHTS: After rising at 3.7 percent annual rate between June and August, the consumer price index for all urban consumers (CPI-U) rose at a 5.1 percent rate in September. Although energy prices were a significant contributor to the September gain, the CPI less energy still rose at a 3.5 percent rate. When food prices also are removed, the CPI increased at a 4.1 percent rate in September. Year-to-date, the total CPI is up at a 2.8 percent pace, while the CPI less food and energy is up at a 1.9 percent rate. The comparable increases during the same period a year earlier were 1.5 percent and 2.4 percent, respectively. Producer prices for finished goods (PPI) surged upward at a 13.4 percent annual rate in September, the largest gain in nine years. Through the first nine months of 1999, the PPI has increased at a 3.5 percent rate; by contrast, the PPI declined at a 0.8 percent rate during the same period a year earlier. The U.S. goods and services trade deficit totaled $24.1 billion in August, off slightly from July’s $24.9 billion deficit. U.S. exports increased 3.7 percent, or $2.9 billion, in August, the largest rise since October 1996. U.S. exports are up 4.9 percent year-to-date, a sizable rebound from the 4.2 percent decline registered during the same period in 1998. Industrial production fell 3.8 percent at an annual rate in September, the first decline in eight months. For the third quarter, however, industrial output rose at a 3.7 percent rate, nearly matching the 3.8 percent gain posted in the second quarter. All data are seasonally adjusted unless otherwise indicated. U.S. Financial Data is published weekly by the Research Division of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. For more information on data, please call (314) 444-8590. To be added to the mailing list, please call (314) 444-8808 or (314) 444-8809. Information in this publication is also included in the Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED) electronic bulletin board at (314) 621-1824 or internet World Wide Web server at www.stls.frb.org/fred.