Producer prices in S. Korea decrease

(MENAFN) Central bank data showed that South Korea's producer prices registered the longest decrease in March, driven by lower global oil prices and vegetables, Xinhua reported. According to the Bank of Korea (BOK), the producer price index (PPI) registered a 0.5 percent month-on-month decline in March, keeping a downward trend for 18 months in a row. Prices of food crops decreased 5.5 percent on year, while prices of oil and coal products declined 4.1 percent in March. Chemical products also registered a decline by 2.4 percent. Meanwhile, prices of private service increased by 1.3 percent, transport service costs and lodging services increased 2.1 percent and 1.5 percent, respectively.