Price in food industry low by 0.5%

Domestic sales prices of industry decreased by 1.3% in November 2008 compared to the previous month and were 10.8% higher than in November 2007.

 Export sales prices of industry
measured in HUF increased by 1.1% compared to the previous month and
by 4.4% compared to the corresponding month of the previous year.
Industrial producer prices involving both domestic and export sales
prices were 0.1% higher than in the previous month and were 7.1%
higher than a year before.

Domestic sales prices of industry –
after permanent monthly price increases since January 2007 –
declined by 1.3% compared to the previous month Domestic sales prices
of manufacturing branches were 2.2% lower in November compared to the
price level measured in October. Significant price decreases were
observed in the manufacture of refined petroleum products (11.0%) and
in the manufacture of chemicals, chemical products and man-made
fibres (5.5%) as a consequence of falling world market quoted prices of
petroleum and petroleum derivatives and the price decrease of basic
chemical materials. Prices in the manufacture of fabricated metal
products went down by 0.9% and in food industry, which represents a
significant share of domestic sales, prices were down by 0.5%. The
highest price increase was recorded again in the manufacture of
transport equipment in November 2008 (2.1%), which stemmed from the
6% rise of domestic sales prices of manufacture of motor vehicles. In
the manufacture of leather, leather products and footwear and in
machinery and equipment manufacturing branches price increases of
1.2% and 1% were measured,

respectively. As for the remaining
manufacturing branches price movements ranged between a decrease of
0.4% and rises of 0.5%. The prices of electricity, gas and water
supply, representing a considerable proportion in domestic sales of
industry, rose only to a minor extent, by 0.5% in November, owing to
the late effect of the gas price increase having entered into force
on 1st October and the price rises implemented by certain district
heating suppliers since 1st November.

Compared to November 2007, the highest
price increase within the domestic sales of manufacturing branches
was observed in the manufacture of fabricated metal products (9.8%)
in November. The prices of manufacture of refined petroleum products
rose by 7.2%, while those of manufacture of transport equipment went
up by 6.6%.

Price falls occurred in the manufacture
of textiles and textile products (2.7%) and in wood and wood products
branches (0.2%). In the remaining manufacturing branches price
increases varied between 1.9% and 5.9%. In manufacturing as a whole,
prices went up by 4.9% in the last twelve months. The prices of
electricity, gas and water supply were 23.2% higher than in the same
period of the previous year.

Among the end-use groups of branches in
domestic sales in November 2008 the prices of capital goods producer
branches showed a monthly rise of 1.2%, while in energy and
intermediate producer branches and in consumer goods producer
branches price decreases were measured (2.0% and 0.2%, respectively)
in the same period. The highest price increase was recorded in energy
and intermediate producer branches (13.8%) compared to the
corresponding month of the previous year. The prices of consumer
goods producing branches went up by 3.9%, while those of capital
goods rose by 0.9%.

Export sales prices of industry as a
whole measured in HUF rose by 1.1% in November 2008 compared to the
previous month, and by 4.4% compared to November 2007. The HUF
weakened by 2.8% against the EUR and by 7.8% against the USD in
comparison to the previous month; and depreciated by 4.2% against the
EUR and by 20.3% against the USD compared to November 2007.