And crude goods, though also up three-tenths of 1 percent for the month, jumped 2.5 percent without food and energy.

Prices for intermediate and crude goods, earlier in the production process, also fell.

That gain was accompanied by hefty increases for intermediate and crude goods as well, according to the Labor Department's report.

As for crude goods, or raw materials, there was a jump of 1.6 percent over all but this was heavily concentrated in food and energy.

The index for crude goods soared 3.9 percent, the second consecutive hefty increase and the biggest since August 1980.

The volatile index for crude goods climbed 1 percent in February after falling for three straight months.

But he noted that the third category, raw materials or crude goods, declined four-tenths of 1 percent.

On the other hand, crude goods surged 1.1 percent, the fourth rise exceeding 1 percent in the latest five months.

The index for crude goods other than food and energy rose nine-tenths of 1 percent, just under half as much as in July.

The volatile index of crude goods jumped 2.3 percent in March, the third hefty rise in the four months.