WASHINGTON-Wholesale tire prices were a mixed bag in March, according to the latest statistics compiled by the U.S. Department of Labor. Overall, prices of passenger tires fell 1 percent during the one-month period and declined 5.3 percent from a year ago.
Yet within that category, prices of all-season passenger tires, original equipment or replacement, improved for the month, rising 1.3 percent. Despite this gain, prices of all- season passenger radials continued to lag behind those of March 1995 by 3.7 percent.
In contrast, wholesale prices of truck and bus tires, OE or replacement, rose 0.3 percent in March but continued to lag behind the year-ago figures by 1.9 percent.
Light highway, OE or replacement, showed the biggest gain in this category, rising 1.1 percent for the month.
Prices of tread rubber, tire sundries and repair materials remained flat in March and stood 1.5 percent higher than in March 1995.