Import Prices in U.S. Rise 1.1%, Led by Fuels, Food

The cost of goods imported into the U.S. rose in December, led by higher prices for commodities such as fuels and food.

The 1.1 percent increase in the import-price index followed a revised 1.5 percent gain in November, Labor Department figures showed today in Washington. Economists projected a 1.2 percent gain for December, according to the median estimate in a Bloomberg News survey. Import prices climbed 0.3 percent excluding fuel, with little change in the costs of automobiles and consumer goods.