US Import Prices Jumped by the Most Since 2022 Ahead of War

Cranes are used to offload containers from a ship at the Port of Savannah in Savannah in March.Photographer: Megan Varner/Bloomberg

The cost of imports into the US jumped in February by the most in nearly four years, reflecting a broad pickup in prices even before war in the Middle East.

Import prices increased 1.3% from the prior month, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data out Wednesday, boosted in part by higher prices for petroleum and natural gas.