European Union chemical producer prices rose in April by 0.5% month-on-month despite slightly softer energy and feedstock costs, Eurostat statistics agency Eurostat gross data showed Monday.
Against the prior year, domestic ex-works sales prices grew 3.2%, the slowest rate of annual inflation in 26 months, with eurozone prices advancing at an identical pace both on a monthly and annual basis.
EU energy prices weakened by 0.1% on-month, including a 0.4% decline in petroleum product costs, but stood 6.6% above the prior-year level.
Factory-gate prices for base chemicals were also 0.5% higher on-month, encompassing a 1.2% hike for plastics in primary forms and a 0.3% rise for organic base chemicals, while inorganic base chemicals prices eased by 0.6%.
Further downstream, prices for plastics products edged up in line with sector inflation amid increases for plastic plates, sheets, tubes and profiles (1.1%) and plastic packaging goods (0.4%).
