Source: CSO

Irish monthly factory gate prices decreased by 0.5% in September 2009. This compares to an increase of 0.9% recorded for September 2008. As a result, the annual percentage change showed a decrease of 3.5% in September 2009, compared with an annual decrease of 2.1% in August 2009. The big swing reflects the fall in the value of the dollar against the euro as Irish manufacturing is dominated by US firms.

The CSO said today that in the month, the price index for export sales decreased by 0.6% while the index for home sales increased by 0.2%. In the year there was a decrease in the price index for export sales of 4.1% (this can be influenced by currency fluctuations) and a
decrease of 1.4% in respect of the price index for home sales.

In September, the most significant changes were decreases in Office machinery and computers (-1.7%), Other food products including bread and confectionery (-1.0%), and Basic chemicals (-0.7%), while there was an increase in Dairy products (+1.9%).

Contributing to the annual change were decreases in Basic metals (-38.2%), Basic chemicals (-10.2%), Meat and meat products (-8.5%), and Dairy products (-5.7%), while there was an increase in Tobacco products (+12.0%).

The yearly price index for Mining and quarrying decreased by 5.2% while there was a monthly decrease of 1.3%.