(Adds details from report)
OTTAWA, Feb 29 (Reuters) - Canadian producer prices rose in
January for the first time in six months as higher costs for
vehicles offset lower energy prices, data from Statistics Canada
showed on Monday.
Prices were up 0.5 percent, against economists' expectations
for no change. December's figures were revised down slightly to
a decline of 0.3 percent from an initially reported 0.2 percent
decrease. January's gain was the first increase since July.
Among the 21 major commodity groups, 18 were up, including a
2.7 percent increase in the cost of motorized and recreational
vehicles. The higher prices were closely linked to a recent drop
in the Canadian dollar against the greenback, the agency said.
But energy and petroleum products led the downside with a
7.3 percent drop, partly due to a decrease in motor gasoline
prices.
Raw materials prices slipped 0.4 percent, far less than
forecasts for a decline of 3.3 percent. Although prices for
crude energy products fell, that was moderated by more expensive
prices for animals, particularly cattle.
<^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Graphic - Canada producer prices http://link.reuters.com/cuj92t
Graphic - Canada economic dashboard http://graphics.thomsonreuters.com/15/sc-canada/index.html
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^>