MW: Nov. import prices rise for first time in four mon
By Greg Robb
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) - Import prices rose by 0.7% in November, the first increase in four months, the Labor Department reported Wednesday. The rise in import prices was the largest since April but was less than expected. Economists surveyed by MarketWatch were expecting import prices to rise 1.5% in November. Import prices in October were revised slightly higher to a drop of 0.5%, compared with initial estimate of a drop of 0.6%. Over the past year, import prices increased 9.9%. Imported fuel prices rose 3.6% in November after a 1.5% decline in the previous month. The price index for imports excluding fuel fell 0.2% for the second straight month.
