Producer prices for industrial products were 2.1 per cent higher in May 2012 than in May 2011. As the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) reported further, producer prices fell slightly by 0.3 per cent in comparison with April 2012.

As in previous months producer prices were decisively influenced by price increases for energy. In comparison with the same month in the previous year, energy was 4.2 per cent more expensive, which is primarily due to the development of the natural gas price. But compared to the previous month, April 2012, energy prices fell by 0.9 per cent. Without taking energy into account, producer prices in May 2012 rose by 1.3 per cent compared to May 2011. Compared to April 2012 the producer prices index remained unchanged without energy.