Zeev's Turnips Patch-No Politics (ZEEV)

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Actually, the prices paid increased "at a slower rate" than September:

Prices
Prices paid by non-manufacturing organizations for purchased materials and services increased in October for the fifth consecutive month, but at a slower rate of increase than in September. ISM's Non-Manufacturing Prices Index for October is 58.7 percent, a decrease of 1.4 percentage points from the 60.1 percent registered for September. In October, the percentage of members reporting higher prices decreased 4 percentage points to 19 percent from 23 percent in September, the proportion indicating no change rose 4 percentage points to 74 percent, and the number who noted lower prices remained at 7 percent for the third consecutive month.

The industries reporting the highest rates of increase in prices paid in October are: Mining; Construction; Wholesale Trade; Entertainment; and Retail Trade. No industry reported price decreases in October.

Prices % Higher % Same % Lower Index
October 2003 19 74 7 58.7
September 2003 23 70 7 60.1
August 2003 16 77 7 55.7
July 2003 14 73 13 50.6