Wholesale prices fell in June

U.S. wholesale prices fell 0.2 percent in June as food costs dropped sharply, offsetting a big increase in energy prices. The Labor Department said the drop in its Producer Price Index, which measures inflation pressures before they reach consumers, followed a 0.4 percent gain in May. Wholesale prices have fallen in four of the past five months. The country has been pushed into a deep recession which is expected to see the economy shrink in the April-June quarter by a recordshattering amount. That downturn, triggered by efforts to contan the coronavirus pandemic, is expected to keep inflation under control.