WASHINGTON — Wholesale prices for U.S.-made apparel declined 0.4 percent in September compared with August and fell 0.3 percent compared with a year earlier, the Labor Department reported Thursday in its Producer Price Index.
Women’s apparel prices rose a seasonally adjusted 0.4 percent month-to-month, but declined 0.3 percent in 12-month comparisons. Men’s domestic apparel prices fell 1.9 percent in September compared with a month earlier and declined 1.8 percent year-to-year.
Prices for all goods and services increased 0.4 percent in September, the Labor Department said. Core producer prices, which exclude the volatile food and energy sectors, inched up 0.1 percent.
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“The pattern of core producer price increases since early 2010 has been generally quite subdued,” said Brian Bethune, chief U.S. financial economist with IHS Global Insight.
The PPI isn’t considered a key barometer for apparel, since a vast majority of goods are imported. The Consumer Price Index, which includes all goods sold at retail and is due out today, is a truer measure.
In women’s apparel, prices for domestically manufactured dresses and woven shirts and blouses were flat in September, but declined 0.3 percent and 0.5 percent, respectively, year-to-year. Prices for tailored jackets and vests rose 1.4 percent in both monthly and yearly comparisons. Knit shirts and blouses saw prices rise 0.6 percent month-to-month but fell 4.9 percent in 12-month comparisons. Jeans and slacks prices inched up 0.3 percent in September and advanced 0.4 percent from a year earlier.
In men’s apparel, prices for woven shirts and work clothing were flat in September. They were flat year-over-year for work clothes and rose 1.5 percent for woven shirts. Men’s suits saw prices rise 0.2 percent month-to-month and advance 0.8 percent compared with September 2009. Knit shirt prices dropped 14.6 percent compared with a month earlier and fell 11.1 percent in 12-month comparisons.
Apparel fabric prices rose 0.2 percent month-to-month and advanced 4.1 percent from a year earlier. Prices for home furnishing and industrial fabrics, manufactured by textile product mills, increased 0.3 percent in the month and 1.5 percent year-over-year.
Deeper in the pipeline, yarn prices declined 0.2 percent from a month earlier but increased 7.1 percent compared with September 2009. Greige fabric prices dropped 0.4 percent in September, but increased 4.6 percent year-over-year. Prices for finished fabrics advanced 0.1 percent in September and rose 3.2 percent in 12-month comparisons. Synthetic-fiber prices dropped 0.9 percent month-to-month and declined 4.2 percent compared with a year earlier.