Producer prices rise modestly, a sign of subdued inflation

WASHINGTON — U.S. producer prices rose modestly in June, another sign that inflationary pressures remain subdued.

The Labor Department said Friday that its producer price index, which measures inflation before it consumers, rose 0.1 percent last month, same as the increase in May. Wholesale prices rose 1.7 percent from June 2018.

Toss out volatile food and energy prices and wholesale inflation rose 0.3 percent last month from May and 2.3 percent from a year earlier. Wholesale services prices rose 0.4 percent from May, most since last October, but goods prices dropped 0.4 percent.

Energy prices fell 3.1 percent from May. Food prices rose 0.6 percent.

Inflation has remained tame throughout the record 10-year economic expansion, even as the unemployment rate has dropped to a very low 3.7 percent. Federal Rereaches serve Chairman Jerome Powell cited persistently low inflation this week as a justification for potentially lowering short-term interest rates.

The Labor Department said Thursday consumer prices rose 0.1 percent last month from May and 1.6 percent from June 2018.

In past economic expansions, tumbling unemployment has forced employers to raise wages to keep and attract workers, potentially heating up inflation. That hasn’t happened in the rebound from the Great Recession of 20072009. Wages have risen only modestly, and inflation has largely remained below the Fed’s 2 percent annual target.