Higher nonfuel prices drove import prices up by 0.1% in September, the sixth increase in the past seven months, the Labor Department reported Wednesday. Import prices have risen 7.3% so far in 2009 but are down 12% over the past 12 months. Prices of nonfuel imports into the United States rose 0.6% in September, the largest gain since July 2008. Economists say the weaker dollar is behind the increase. Imported fuel prices fell 1.8% in September, and are down 34.4% in the past 12 months. Economists surveyed by MarketWatch were expecting import prices to rise 0.3% in September. Import prices in August were revised to a 1.6% gain, down from the initial estimate of a 2.0% increase. Prices of exports from the United States fell 0.3%.

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