U.S. Producer-Price Index Unchanged in July

By Jessica Coacci

Wholesale prices were unchanged last month as energy prices edged down, the Labor Department said.

The producer-price index was flat in July, after falling by 0.1% in June. Analysts surveyed by The Wall Street Journal were estimating producer prices to rise by 0.2% last month.

The data comes after the July consumer-inflation report Wednesday showed the annual inflation rate fell slightly, easing concerns the central bank would have to act sooner rather than later at its next interest rate meeting this fall.

Economists and Fed officials typically watch the PPI numbers closely because some of the underlying data is used in calculating the personal-consumption expenditures price index, the inflation metric that the Federal Reserve uses to gauge progress against its 2% inflation target.

The PCE report will arrive later in August. After seeing Wednesday's consumer-inflation numbers, many economists estimated that the core version of the PCE index, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, rose by 0.2% or 0.3% last month. Those estimates will get updated after investors dig through Thursday's latest inflation report.

Economists project that upcoming methodological changes at the agency responsible for publishing the Fed's preferred measure are likely to lower core PCE inflation when the revised approach is rolled out in September.

Write to Jessica Coacci at jessica.coacci@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

August 13, 2026 08:56 ET (12:56 GMT)