US import prices rise 0.7% in August and are 7.0% higher than a year earlier
Nonfuel import prices climbed 0.8% while fuel prices slipped 0.1%, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said on 16 September. Export prices rose 0.6% after falling 1.4% in July.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics published its import and export price indexes for August 2026 on 16 September, the day the Federal Reserve raised interest rates.
Import prices
- All imports: up 0.7% from July, and 7.0% higher than in August 2025
- Fuel imports: down 0.1%
- Nonfuel imports: up 0.8%
Export prices
- All exports: up 0.6% in August, after a 1.4% fall in July
- Over 12 months: up 8.6%
- Agricultural exports: up 0.5%
Why these numbers matter
Import prices feed into what businesses pay for materials and what shoppers pay for imported goods, usually with a delay. In August the increase didn't come from oil: fuel import prices edged down, while prices of other imported goods rose 0.8%.
The index measures the prices paid to foreign sellers and excludes import duties, so tariffs themselves aren't counted in it.
The inflation picture
Other August price data point the same way. Consumer prices rose 3.4% on a year earlier (report) and producer prices 5.4% (report). The Fed raised its target range to 3.75%–4.00% and now projects PCE inflation of 3.7% for 2026 (report), while retail sales rose 1.2% in August (report).
For currency traders, import prices are a second-tier release: they rarely move the dollar on their own, but they help show whether inflation pressure is broadening. Live prices: EUR/USD and USD/JPY.
Sources
Common questions
How much did US import prices rise in August 2026?
Import prices rose 0.7% in August 2026 and were 7.0% higher than a year earlier. Nonfuel import prices rose 0.8% and fuel import prices fell 0.1%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Do US import prices include tariffs?
No. The import price index measures prices paid to foreign sellers and excludes import duties, so tariffs are not part of it.
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