Producer Price Index Gains 0.7%

The producer price index rose 0.7% in April, while the core PPI excluding food and energy was unchanged for a second straight month, the Labor Department said Friday.

The PPI increase followed a 1% gain in March, Labor said.
 
The gain was slightly higher than economists’ forecasts a 0.6% gain, while the core rate was projected to rise 0.2%, Bloomberg reported.

An increase in the PPI could indicate strong demand for goods, which would mean more shipments for trucking companies. However, if inflation begins to accelerate too quickly, it could also hurt the economy.