Australian Producer Price Indexes Show 1% Increase in Final Demand, Driven by Electricity and Construction Costs

The Producer Price Indexes (PPIs) in Australia for March 2023 have been released, indicating a 1.0% rise in Final demand (excluding exports) this quarter and a 5.2% rise over the past year. The data contains a range of PPIs in the Australian economy, including mining, manufacturing, construction, and services industries. The increase in Final demand was driven by higher industrial electricity prices, construction costs, and tertiary education course fee increases, offset by price falls in petroleum refining, furniture and other manufacturing, and computer and electronic equipment manufacturing.