Australian imports fell

A price index of Australian imports fell 3.0% in the third quarter of 2009 from the second quarter, the Australian Bureau of Statistics said Friday. The decrease in the import price index was mainly driven by the appreciation of the Australian dollar against all major trading currencies, as well as lower prices paid for general and industrial machinery and equipment, the bureau said. These were partly offset by rises in prices for petroleum, petroleum products, and related materials The price index for exports fell 9.6% in the third quarter from the second. The decrease in the export price index was mainly due to falls in prices received for coal, coke and briquettes, and for metal ores and metal scrap, the bureau said. The appreciation of the Australian dollar also contributed to the fall. The falls were partly offset by higher prices for nonferrous metals, petroleum and petroleum products. The export price index fell by 20.7% over the year to the third quarter, the largest annual decrease since the data were first reported in the third quarter of 1974, the bureau said.