US wholesale prices up tiny 0.1% in August
Posted September 11, 2019 5:35 am.
WASHINGTON — U.S. wholesale prices edged up a slight 0.1% in August as energy prices took a big plunge, a further sign that inflation is remaining tame.
The Labor Department said Wednesday that the gain in its producer price index, which measures inflation pressures before they reach the consumer, followed a modest 0.2% rise in July. Core inflation, which excludes food and energy, rose a stronger 0.3%.
After bigger gains in April and May, driven by a surge in energy costs, wholesale inflation has returned in the past four months to the tiny increases seen during much of this record-long economic expansion, now in its 11th year.
Given the low inflation, the Federal Reserve is expected to cut its key interest rate for a second time this year at next week’s meeting.
Martin Crutsinger And Bani Sapra, The Associated Press
