Press Release 22/04/2009

INDUSTRIAL PRICE INDEX (IPRI) MARCH 2009

Industrial prices fell by 0.3% in March 2009

The year-on-year drop (March 2009 on March 2008) in industrial prices came to 4.4%

Industrial prices fell by 0.3% in the Basque Country in March 2009, according to EUSTAT data. With these figures, the year-on-year rate for March, which indicates the fluctuation in industrial prices over the last twelve months, recorded a downturn of 4.4%.

Percentage evolution of the Industrial Price Index of the Basque Country

(*) Year-on-year growth March 2009

Source: EUSTAT

A more detailed sectorial analysis shows that the most inflationary branches in March 2009, with regard to the previous month were “Rubber and Plastic” (1.1%), “Paper, Publishing and Graphic Arts” (0.4%), ”Electrical Equipment” (0.4%), and “Other Manufactures” (0.1%). By contrast, the sectors whose prices fell most were “Oil By-products" (-1.6%), "Timber Industry" (-0.9%), "Electricity, Gas and Water” (-0.8%) and "Metallic and Non-Metallic Minerals" D -0.7%).

Over the year-on-year period, March 2009 on March 2008, the highest growth in prices was registered by the branches of “Metallic and Non-Metallic Minerals" (5.7%) “Textile and Clothing” (3.3%), “Transport Equipment” (2.0%) and “Machinery” (1.9%). However, the largest falls in prices were recorded in the following sectors: “Oil By-products" (-34.2%), “Metallurgy and Metal Articles” (-4.8%), "Other Manufactures"( 2.3%) and “Leather and Footwear" D 1.8% ).

According to the classification of Goods by Economic Destination, the evolution of prices in March of large sectorial groups continued their downward trend in nearly all areas except in Capital Goods, where there was no monthly variation (0.0%). The price of Energy was down by 1.1%, Intermediate Goods fell by 0.3% and Consumer Goods decreased by 0.1% overall, due to the fall in the prices of Non-Durable Consumer Goods (-0.1%), as Durable Consumer Goods remained unchanged (0.0% ).

The price evolution of these large groups of goods reveals differences over the year-on-year period. Energy prices decreased by 18.9%, Intermediary Goods fell by 1.8%, Capital Goods rose by 3.2% and Consumer Goods registered a 0.9% increase. Among the latter, the prices of Durable Consumer Goods rose 1.2% while Non- Durable Consumer Goods were up by 0.8%.

Source: EUSTAT

For further information:

Basque Statistics Office C/ Donostia-San Sebastián, 1 01010 Vitoria-Gasteiz Tlf:+34-945-01 75 00 Fax:+34-945-01 75 01 E-mail: eustat@eustat.es Contact: Gerardo Pérez Aja Tel:+34-945-01 75 06 Fax:+34-945-01 75 01 Online press releases: www.eustat.es Databank: www.eustat.eus/bancopx/english/indice.aspx