France commodity import price index share: fixed weights
France commodity import price index share: fixed weights stood at 114.95 in May 2026, according to INSEE – Institut national de la statistique et des études économiques (BDM). It is one of the indicators in the Foreign trade prices and volumes table (Value · Monthly), with a complete series running from Jan 1980 to May 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Foreign trade prices and volumes table
| Indicator | 05-2026 | 04-2026 | 03-2026 | 02-2026 | 01-2026 | 12-2025 | 11-2025 | 10-2025 | 09-2025 | 08-2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fixed weights (average trade over several decades) | |||||||||||
| Commodity import price index, weighted by share in commodity imports | 114.95 | 115.45 | 118.53 | 91.69 | 89.77 | 86.86 | 88.08 | 87.72 | 90.08 | 89.19 | |
| Commodity import price index, weighted by imports to GDP | 100.59 | 100.61 | 100.73 | 99.54 | 99.44 | 99.29 | 99.36 | 99.34 | 99.47 | 99.43 |
Understanding france commodity import price index share: fixed weights
Raw material purchase cost movements from external suppliers enter this index calculation through aggregation weights derived from long-term import shares rather than shifting annual quantities. Individual inbound commodity quotations are combined using fixed historical trade proportions spanning multiple decades, isolating pure global price fluctuations from structural shifts in the domestic basket. The series explicitly tracks inbound cost pressures originating from international raw material markets, capturing energy, agricultural, and mineral shipments crossing borders. Unlike dynamic weighting schemes that adjust to substitution effects over time, this fixed-structure approach holds trade composition constant, intentionally omitting how industries alter their material mix in response to price signals.
Interpreting this index requires recognizing that holding trade structures constant over long horizons can diverge from contemporary import realities if structural industrial transformations occur. Analysts should evaluate twelve-month percentage changes to smooth monthly volatility while avoiding short-term calendar anomalies that distort single-period comparisons. Revisions to early estimates typically reflect delayed customs declarations and updated global commodity pricing submissions rather than conceptual methodology changes. When comparing this index with GDP-scaled variations, keep in mind that holding import shares constant emphasizes trade basket composition rather than the broader economic scale of inbound shipments relative to domestic production boundaries.
Frequently asked questions
- Why does this series use fixed trade weights instead of annual adjustments?
- Fixed weights isolate pure international price movements by eliminating the distortion caused by shifting import quantities from year to year.
- What types of goods are captured in this import price measure?
- The index covers raw materials, including energy, agricultural products, and industrial minerals brought in from abroad.
- How does this series differ from the GDP-weighted counterpart?
- This measure weights commodity prices by their historical share in total commodity imports, whereas the GDP version scales inbound weights against overall economic output.