Producer Prices Increase in September

Prices paid to U.S. producers rose 0.8% in September, the largest gain in five months, the Labor Department said Tuesday.

The increase in the producer price index — which measures prices paid to factories, farmers and other producers — followed an unchanged index in August.

The core PPI, which excludes food and energy, rose 0.2%.

Economists had predicted a 0.2% increase in the PPI and a 0.1% gain in the core PPI, 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.