Producer Price Index Rises for Third Month

Prices paid to U.S. producers rose 0.4% in September, the third straight monthly gain, the Labor Department said Thursday.

The increase in prices paid to factories, farmers and other producers matched August’s rise and followed a 0.2% gain in July.

The core producer price index excluding food and energy rose 0.1%. Food prices rose 1.2% in September, the most since March.

The PPI increase was higher than economists’ forecasts of a 0.1% gain, while the core rate matched projections, 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.