WIESBADEN, Germany (AFX) - German import prices fell 2.2 pct in December from November and were up 8.2 pct from the same month last year, the Federal Statistics Office said.
Germany's import price index fell 2.2 pct to 113.8 in December from 116.4 in November and rose from 105.2 in December 1999 (1995 equals 100), the Federal Statistics Office said.
German import prices in 2000 rose on average 11.2 pct from the year before.
Export prices lowered 0.4 pct in December from November and were up 3.3 pct from a year earlier, with the export price index falling to 105.5 in December from 105.9 in November and increasing from 102.1 a year earlier.
In 2000, export prices in 2000 rose on average 3.5 pct from the year before, it said.
Excluding crude oil and petroleum products, import prices rose 6.9 pct from a year earlier.
The statistics office highlighted the year-on-year increase in natural gas, up 81.1 pct, precious metals and semi-finished goods were up 63.1 pct while petroleum products were up 29.7 pct -- of which diesel and light heating oil were up 28.5 pct, and natural gas up 18.0 pct.