US producer prices rose 0.5% in December, more than expected, on uptick in services inflation
January 30, 2026
U.S. wholesale prices rose a hotter-than-expected 0.5% in December. The Labor Department reported Friday that its producer price index — which measures inflation before it hits consumers — rose from November to December at the fastest pace in three months and faster than the 0.3% economists had forecast. Compared to December 2024, producer prices were up 3% last month in line with what forecasters expected. Services prices were up 0.7% from November, biggest increase since July, partly reflecting fatter profit margins at wholesalers and retailers. But the price of goods — such as appliances and autos — were unchanged last month and up 2.5% from a year earlier.