PPI: Headline Up 0.2 Percent; Core Prices Unchanged

In December, the Producer Price Index for finished goods rose 0.2 percent, following a large jump of 1.8 percent in November. The PPI has been very volatile in recent months largely due to swings in energy prices. Still, from a year prior, producer prices were 4.7 percent higher, a sharp acceleration from a year-over year decline as recently as October. The core index, which excludes prices of food and energy products, was unchanged over the month. From a year prior, it was 0.9 percent higher.

At earlier stages of production, core intermediate goods prices rose 0.5 percent but were 0.2 percent lower than a year prior. At even earlier stages of production, the commodity heavy crude core goods index rose 5.0 percent and was up 28.4 percent from a year prior.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Audio of the press conference for last week’s ABA Economic Advisory Committee meeting is now available online. It can be found here. The press release is available here. The committee’s semi-annual economic forecast is available here (pdf).