The U.S. economy faced another sign of persistent inflation in January, as wholesale prices rose more than expected, according to a report released by the Labor Department on Friday. The producer price index (PPI), which measures the prices received by producers of domestic goods and services, increased by 0.3% from December to January, surpassing the economists’ forecast of 0.1%. The core PPI, which excludes food and energy, jumped 0.5%, also beating the estimate of 0.1%. The PPI, excluding food, energy, and trade services, soared 0.6%, the largest one-month gain since January 2023.
What drove the wholesale inflation higher?
The main driver of wholesale inflation in January was the 0.6% rise in final demand for services, which accounted for more than two-thirds of the increase in the PPI. Within this category, hospital outpatient care surged 2.2%, contributing to the overall rise in health care services. Other services that saw higher prices included transportation and warehousing, apparel, jewelry, footwear, and accessories retailing, and machinery and equipment wholesaling.
On the other hand, the prices of final demand goods declined by 0.2%, mainly due to a 1.7% drop in final demand energy. Gasoline prices fell 3.6%, offsetting the increases in prices of natural gas, residential electric power, and diesel fuel. The prices of final-demand foods also decreased by 0.1%, as lower prices for fresh fruits and melons, eggs, and beef and veal outweighed higher prices for pork, cheese, and processed poultry.
How Does Wholesale Inflation Affect the Economy and the Fed?
The wholesale inflation report comes on the heels of the consumer price index (CPI) report, which showed that consumer inflation also remained elevated in January. The CPI rose 0.3% last month, above the consensus of 0.2%, while the annual rate eased slightly to 3.1%, still higher than the expected 2.9%. The core CPI, which the Fed focuses on more as a longer-term gauge of inflation, increased 3.9% year-over-year.
The higher-than-anticipated inflation data have rattled the financial markets, as investors have been hoping for the Fed to cut interest rates aggressively this year to stimulate the slowing economy. However, the Fed has signaled caution about easing its monetary policy too quickly, citing the need to monitor inflation trends and the resilience of the economy. The Fed has a 2% inflation target, which it has undershot for most of the past decade.
The wholesale inflation report also adds to the mixed signals from the recent economic indicators, such as the strong jobs report, the disappointing retail sales report, and the upbeat consumer sentiment report. The U.S. economy grew 2.3% in 2023, down from 2.9% in 2022, and is expected to moderate further in 2024 amid trade uncertainties, geopolitical tensions, and a global slowdown.
What are the implications for businesses and consumers?
Wholesale inflation reflects the changes in the prices that businesses pay for their inputs, such as raw materials, intermediate goods, and services. These changes can affect the profitability and competitiveness of businesses, as well as their decisions on production, investment, and pricing. If the wholesale inflation is higher than the consumer inflation, it means that businesses are facing higher costs that they are not able to pass on to consumers, which can squeeze their profit margins. On the other hand, if wholesale inflation is lower than consumer inflation, it means that businesses can raise their prices more than their costs, which can boost their profit margins.
This can also have an impact on consumer inflation, as businesses may eventually adjust their prices to reflect their costs. However, the pass-through from wholesale inflation to consumer inflation depends on various factors, such as the degree of competition, the elasticity of demand, and the expectations of inflation. Consumer inflation, in turn, affects the purchasing power and welfare of consumers, as well as their spending and saving behavior.
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