The Producer Price Index for final demand increased 0.2 percent in December, seasonally adjusted, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. This rise followed advances of 1.0 percent in November and 0.6 percent in October. (See table A.) On an unadjusted basis, final demand prices moved up 9.7 percent in 2021, the largest calendar-year increase since data were first calculated in 2010. In December, the advance in the final demand index can be traced to a 0.5-percent increase in prices for final demand services. Conversely, the index for final demand goods decreased 0.4 percent. Prices for final demand less ... (full story)

Wholesale prices rose less than expected in December but still set a new standard at a time when inflation overall is running at a nearly 40-year high, the Labor Department said Thursday. The producer price index, which measures prices received by producers of goods, services and construction, was up 0.2% for the month, half of the 0.4% Dow Jones estimate. However, on a 12-month basis, the index was up 9.7%, the highest level ever in data going back to 2010. The monthly gain was a sharp drop-off from the two previous months, which showed respective gains of 0.6% and 1%. A separate report Thursday showed that initial ... (full story)