Informations rapides
19 June 2018
2018- n° 156
In May, the prices of all imported raw materials accelerated Prices of oil and raw material imports - May 2018

In May 2018, the price of crude oil in euros ramped up again (+10.9% after +9.8% in April). The prices in euros of all other imported commodities accelerated too (+5.5% after +0.3%): both as a result of raw food materials prices (+5.7% after +0.1%) and because of industrial raw materials prices (+5.4% after +0.6%).

Informations rapides
No 156
Paru le :Paru le19/06/2018
Prochaine parution le : 20/09/2024 at 12:00 - August 2024

In May 2018, the price of crude oil in euros ramped up again (+10.9% after +9.8% in April). The prices in euros of all other imported commodities accelerated too (+5.5% after +0.3%): both as a result of raw food materials prices (+5.7% after +0.1%) and because of industrial raw materials prices (+5.4% after +0.6%).

Oil price ramped up

In May 2018, the price of North Sea crude oil (Brent) in euros ramped up again (+10.9% after +9.8%) to an average of €65 per barrel. The decrease was less marked in dollars (+6.8% after +9.0%), because the euro depreciated in May

Table1Oil and petroleum products

in euros
Oil and petroleum products (in euros) -
Prices Change (%)
of last month over the last month over the last 3 months over the last 12 months
Brent in $ per barrel 76,9 6,8 17,7 49,5
Brent in € per barrel 65,2 10,9 23,2 40,2
Gasoline cts €/L 47,7 10,8 22,6 29,7
Gas Oil 574,4 10,8 22,5 39,6
Heavy fuel 337,8 3,9 5,2 19,4
Naphtha 559,0 14,7 24,8 42,7
  • Prices are in euros per tonne unless otherwise specified
  • Source : INSEE

The prices of food commodity accelerated frankly…

In euros, the prices of raw food materials ramped up frankly (+5.7% after +0.1%). The prices of cereals accelerated clearly (+6.1% after +3.5%) as those of tropical foodstuffs (+4.4% after +2.3%), and seafood products (+7.7% after +1.2%). The prices of oil seeds and vegetable oils recovered (+2.2% after −0.4%), and those of meats bounced back (+8.1% after −3.5%) as sugar price (+4.3% after −7.6% in April).

…as well as industrial commodity prices.

In May 2018, the prices in euros of industrial raw materials gathered pace clearly (+5.4% after +0.6%). Those of agro-industrial raw materials increased considerably (+9.2% after +2.2%), again because of sawn softwood price (+18.1% after +5.6%) and wood pulp price (+7.4% after +3.0%). The prices of natural fibres speeded up clearly (+8.0% after +0.4%), while natural rubber price recovered (+8.0% after −3.8%). The price of tropical wood fell back (−0.5% after +1.2%), and the price of hide decreased less than in April (−0.2% after −2.8%). The prices of minerals accelerated (+4.5% after +0.2%), largely due to non-ferrous metals (+4.6% after +4.5%) and ferrous metals (+4.8% after −5.9%). The prices of precious metals speeded up too (+2.1% after +1.0%).

Table2Imported raw materials (excluding energy) in euros

base 100 in 2000
Imported raw materials (excluding energy) in euros (base 100 in 2000) -
Index Changes (%)
of last month over the last month over the last 3 months over the last 12 months
Food total 121,5 5,7 8,5 –8,3
Tropical foodstuffs 102,7 4,4 12,7 –2,7
Oil seeds, vegetable oils 111,4 2,2 1,3 –5,0
Cereals 103,9 6,1 12,8 3,3
Sugar 59,8 4,3 –8,6 –29,4
Meat 145,9 8,1 5,1 –7,2
Seafood products 122,0 7,7 15,5 –15,8
Industrial raw materials 91,4 5,4 1,2 9,1
Agricultural raw materials 133,3 9,2 13,1 19,0
Natural Fibres 111,5 8,0 12,0 8,4
Natural rubber 48,2 8,0 2,7 –12,2
Hides 77,2 –0,2 –3,3 –16,2
Wood pulp 139,0 7,4 13,5 25,8
Tropical wood 97,0 –0,5 0,7 –2,4
Sawn softwood 275,9 18,1 25,3 50,8
Minerals 83,8 4,5 –1,3 7,0
Ferrous metals 53,0 4,8 –9,9 –0,2
Non-ferrous metals 112,0 4,6 4,6 14,1
Precious metals 106,6 2,1 2,2 –3,2
All commodities 104,9 5,5 4,7 –0,3
  • Source: INSEE

Graph1Oil (Brent)

  • Source : INSEE

Graph3Food

  • Source : INSEE

Graph2Imported raw materials (excluding energy)

  • Source : INSEE

Graph4Industrial raw materials

  • Source : INSEE

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