MARCH KEY FIGURES

	Dec Qtr 10 to Mar Qtr 11	Mar Qtr 10 to Mar Qtr 11
	% change	% change
Import Price Index all groups	1.4	0.2
Food and live animals	1.9	-2.8
Beverages and tobacco	0.2	-3.4
Crude materials, inedible, except fuels	2.6	9.9
Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials	13.4	18.6
Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes	4.0	7.3
Chemicals and related products, n.e.s.	0.0	0.3
Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material	0.0	0.5
Machinery and transport equipment	-1.6	-6.3
Miscellaneous manufactured articles	-0.5	-4.9
Commodities and transactions, n.e.s.	-0.4	12.9
Export Price Index all groups	5.2	21.0
Food and live animals	4.8	11.3
Beverages and tobacco	0.3	-3.9
Crude materials, inedible, except fuels	7.9	45.8
Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials	6.4	21.9
Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes	7.1	50.9
Chemicals and related products, n.e.s.	3.0	6.9
Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material	4.3	9.0
Machinery and transport equipment	0.1	-4.8
Miscellaneous manufactured articles	-0.3	-5.1
Commodities and transactions, n.e.s.	0.1	13.6

IMPORT PRICE INDEX: all groups, Quarterly % change

EXPORT PRICE INDEX: all groups, Quarterly % change

MARCH KEY POINTS


IMPORT PRICE INDEX

• The Import Price Index increased by 1.4% in the March quarter 2011. Through the year to March quarter 2011, the Import Price Index increased by 0.2%.

EXPORT PRICE INDEX

• The Export Price Index increased by 5.2% in the March quarter 2011. Through the year to March quarter 2011, the Export Price Index increased by 21.0%.

NOTES

FORTHCOMING ISSUES

ISSUE (QUARTER)	Release Date
June 2011	22 July 2011
September 2011	21 October 2011
December 2011	20 January 2012
March 2012	20 April 2012

IMPACT OF THE FLOODS AND CYCLONE YASI

Extensive flooding began in late December 2010 in Queensland, and intensified in both Queensland and other states in January 2011. In early February 2011, Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi crossed the north Queensland coast. Gale force winds, flooding rain and storm surges caused significant damage to areas in the storm's path.

The collection and processing of import and export price data included in this publication were not disrupted by the floods and cyclone.

On a quarter to quarter basis the prices of imported and exported goods can be impacted by a number of factors including exchange rates, international markets, supply constraints, business confidence and seasonal patterns. The impact of events like the Queensland floods and cyclone Yasi cannot be readily quantified.

ABS price index compilation methodologies and quality assurance processes have ensured that any impact of the floods and cyclone on import and export prices has been reflected in the data included in this publication.


ROUNDING

Any discrepancies between totals and sums of components are due to rounding.


DATA REFERENCES

Data referenced in the Key Points and Commentary are available from the tables shown in this publication, or in the corresponding tables of this publication on the ABS website <https://www.abs.gov.au>.


INQUIRIES

For further information about these and related statistics, contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070.