U.S. Import Prices Flat in December After Prior Month Decline

U.S. import prices were unchanged on a year-on-year basis in December, marking a stabilization after a 0.1% decline in November, according to data released Tuesday by the Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

On a monthly basis, import prices edged up 0.1% in December, indicating modest upward pressure after recent softness.

Data publication has been disrupted in recent months by federal government shutdowns. A prolonged shutdown last year prevented the BLS from collecting sufficient survey data for October, which in turn led the agency to withhold monthly import price figures for both October and November. As a result, recent data offer a clearer snapshot of price trends only toward the end of the year.

Due to a compressed release schedule following the 43-day shutdown, the BLS did not issue its usual detailed press release alongside the December figures. However, the agency noted that the more recent three-day government shutdown did not interfere with data collection for price indexes.

The stabilization in import prices adds to signs that external price pressures on the U.S. economy remain contained, a factor closely monitored by policymakers assessing the outlook for inflation and interest rates.