Financial News: U.S. Import Prices Jump 1.3% In February, Much

U.S. Import Prices Jump 1.3% In February, Much More Than Expected

03/25/2026 - 10:08:00 (RTTNews)

(RTTNews) - Partly reflecting a significant rebound in prices for fuel imports, the Labor Department released a report on Wednesday showing U.S. import prices increased by much more than expected in the month of February.

The Labor Department said import prices jumped by 1.3 percent in February after climbing by an upwardly revised 0.6 percent in January.

Economists had expected import prices to rise by 0.5 percent compared to the 0.2 percent uptick originally reported for the previous month.

The report said import prices in February were up by 1.3 percent compared to the same month a year ago, reflecting the largest annual increase in a year.

The much bigger than expected monthly increase in import prices came as prices for fuel imports spiked by 3.8 percent in February after slumping by 1.2 percent in January.

Prices for fuel imports saw the biggest jump since April 2024 amid higher prices for petroleum and natural gas.

The Labor Department said prices for non-fuel imports also shot up by 1.1 percent in February after advancing by 0.8 percent in January.

The sharp increase reflected higher prices for capital goods, non-fuel industrial supplies and materials, consumer goods excluding automotives, foods, feeds, and beverages, and automotive vehicles, parts and engines.

The report said export prices also surged by 1.5 percent in February following an unrevised 0.6 percent increase in January. Export prices were expected to grow by 0.5 percent.

Export prices in February were up by 3.5 percent compared to the same month a year ago, reflecting an acceleration from the 2.6 percent annual growth in January.

The Labor Department said prices for agricultural exports climbed by 0.7 percent in February after rising by 0.2 percent in January.

Prices for non- agricultural exports also jumped by 1.7 percent in February following a 0.7 percent increase in the previous month.

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