Manufacturing prices decreased by 1.5 per cent in April, according to statistics from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) released today.
Factory gate prices decreased by 0.3 per cent in April. This compares to a decrease of 0.2 per cent in April last year.
Home sales increased by 0.4 per cent in the month of April, while export sales decreased by 0.5 per cent.
The most significant decreases were seen in basic chemicals and in office machinery and computers -down 1.1 per cent and 1.5 per cent respectively. Office machinery prices fell by 10.8 per cent in the year from April 2006.
Meat and meat products rose by 4.5 per cent.
In the building and construction industries, all material prices increased by 6.2 per cent in the year from last April. Rough timber increased by 11.4 per cent and cement by 9.6. per cent.
The price of energy products increased in the year by 7.9 per cent. In April this year there was an increase in the price of energy products of 0.7 per cent. Petroleum fuels decreased by 4.3 per cent in the year overall but rose in April by 3 per cent.
Food, drink and tobacco prices rose by 1.1 per cent in the month and 2.3 per cent in the year to April.