Last week Israel's Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) published price indices for the second quarter of 2009.

The terms of trade index (excluding ships, aircraft diamonds and fuels) rose by 5.4%. Export prices (excluding aircraft and diamonds) rose by 4.4% and import prices (excluding ships, aircraft, diamonds and fuels) drop by 0.9%.

Export prices, in the second quarter of 2009, point to a rise of 5.3% after a decrease of 6.2% in the first quarter of the year.

Price indices of manufacturing exports (excluding diamonds) point to a rise of 5.1% in April-June 2009, continuing a 1.3% decrease in the first quarter of 2009.

Price indices of agricultural exports rose by 3.5% in the second quarter of 2009.

Breakdown of Price Indices of Manufacturing Exports, by Technological Intensity Price indices of manufacturing exports in high technology industries rose by 1.7% in April-June 2009, continuing a rise of 1.4% in January-March 2009.

Detailed data by industries reveal an increase in price indices in exports of aircraft (7.9%), as well as in the price index of exports of Pharmaceutical products (4.1%).

Price indices of manufacturing exports in medium-high technology industries (excluding pharmaceutical products) rose by 11.1% in April-June 2009, after a decrease of 6.1% in the first quarter of the year.

Detailed data by industries indicate that price indices increased in exports of chemicals and refined petroleum, excluding pharmaceuticals, (14.7%), and in exports of motor vehicles (15.9%).

Price indices of manufacturing exports in medium-low technology industries rose by 3.4% in the second quarter of 2009, continuing a rise of 0.6% in the first quarter of 2009. Detailed data by industries indicate that price indices increased in exports of mining and quarrying exports (9.3%) and in exports of non-metallic mineral products (6.8%).

The price indices of manufacturing exports in low technology industries fall by 1.4% in April-June 2009, continuing a decrease of 5.3% in the first quarter of 2009.

Detailed data by industries indicate that price indices decreased in exports of wood and furniture (-8.6%), and in exports of food products, beverages and tobacco (1.8%).

Import prices point to a rise of 0.9% in the second quarter of 2009, after a fall of 9.6% in the first quarter of 2009.

Price indices of Production Inputs (excluding fuels) fall by 1.6% in April-June 2009. Detailed data by commodity groups indicate that price indices decreased in most of the categories, in imports of inputs for paper industry (-8.5%), in imports of iron and steel (-6.2%), and in price of imports of inputs for agriculture imports (-2.6%).

Price indices of Consumer goods fall by 0.5% in April-June 2009. Detailed data by commodity Groups indicate that price indices decreased in imports of non-durable goods (-1.3%), and in import price of durable goods rose by 0.3%.

Price indices of Investment goods point to a rise of 0.9% in April-June 2009. Detailed data by commodity Groups indicate that price indices of imports of machinery and equipment rose by 1.3% and in import price of transport equipment fall by 1.0%.

Price indices of imported Fuels point to a rise of 8.0% in the second quarter of 2009.

This information is based on preliminary data on goods that passed through Customs. Data do not include trade between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Imports are valued CIF, and exports are valued FOB.

The terms of trade index is calculated as the ratio of the total export price index to the total import price index.