U.S. PPI Remains Unchanged in February as Goods Prices Rise

The Producer Price Index (PPI) for final demand remained stable in February, with no change reported, following increases of 0.6% in January and 0.5% in December. Over the past 12 months, the index has risen by 3.2%.

In February, prices for final demand goods increased by 0.3%, while prices for final demand services dropped by 0.2%.

The index for final demand, excluding food, energy, and trade services, rose by 0.2%. Over the year, prices in this category were up by 3.3%.

Breaking down the details for goods, the price of food saw a significant increase of 1.7%, largely driven by a 53.6% jump in chicken egg prices.

Other goods, including pork, vegetables, and tobacco, also saw higher prices. However, energy prices fell by 1.2%, with gasoline prices dropping 4.7%.

For services, the decline was mainly due to a 1.0% drop in trade services, which reflects changes in wholesale and retail margins. The cost of transportation and warehousing services remained unchanged, while other services like inpatient care saw price increases.