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US Wholesale Inflation Falls for First Time in 4 Months

2 mins
Updated by Geraint Price
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In Brief

  • The US Producer Price Index fell for the first time in four months in October.
  • Core PPI increased by 2.4%, while headline PPI rose 1.3%.
  • Low PPI, CPI and labor numbers could foreshadow a soft landing for the US economy.
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The US October Producer Price Index (PPI) rose 1.3% year-on-year, undercutting estimates of 1.9%. Core PPI rose 2.4%, coming in below estimates of 2.7%.

This is the first time in four months that so-called wholesale inflation has fallen. Earlier this week, the markets celebrated lower-than-expected October retail inflation in most sectors.

US PPI Helped by Gasoline Price

Month-on-month, the producer price index fell 0.5%, while core PPI remained unchanged. Most of the decline in goods prices occurred because of a 15.3% drop in gasoline cost.

US PPI Change Month-on-Month
US PPI Change Month-on-Month | Source: TradingEconomics

The report also showed that retail sales for October slowed 0.1% monthly, coming in lower than analysts’ expectations of 0.3%. Sales are likely to pick up ahead of the holiday season.

The Producer Price Index (PPI) is what domestic producers pay to produce finished goods. Any increase in the cost of production can cause increase in prices for retail customers. Hence a lower PPI means a lower chance the consumer will pay more.

Bitcoin and Stocks Like US PPI Numbers

The stock market appeared set for positive gains following Tuesday’s favorable CPI numbers. It met expectations after the improved PPI numbers, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average up 0.2%, while the S&P 500 Futures gained 0.3%.

Read more: Crypto vs. Stocks: Where To Invest Your Money in 2023

Bitcoin rose from $36,056 to $36,167.60 but is down 1.3% in the past 24 hours. Ethereum dipped briefly to $2,007 but is now up to $2,021.

The US also added fewer jobs than expected last month, which could see the US Federal Reserve create a soft-landing for the economy. Market pundits predict the Fed will not increase rates in December, although the chairman Jerome Powell has not ruled out the possibility.

“The Fed will welcome the reprieve, after producer prices recorded a 4.9% annualized gain in [the third quarter], and coupled with yesterday’s CPI report, it bolsters the case for no further rate increases,” wrote Matthew Martin, US economist for Oxford Economics.

Read more: How to Use BeInCrypto Jobs Board: A Step-by-Step Guide

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David Thomas
David Thomas graduated from the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal in Durban, South Africa, with an Honors degree in electronic engineering. He worked as an engineer for eight years, developing software for industrial processes at South African automation specialist Autotronix (Pty) Ltd., mining control systems for AngloGold Ashanti, and consumer products at Inhep Digital Security, a domestic security company wholly owned by Swedish conglomerate Assa Abloy. He has experience writing software in C,...
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