Wholesale price inflation slows last month as gas, food costs fall
- Wholesale inflation dropped 4.7% in July from a year ago, down from 5.5% in June.
- On a monthly basis, wholesale prices were unchanged from June to July.
- Core wholesale inflation dropped to 4.2% in July compared to a year earlier.
- Gas prices rose later in July, raising concerns about potential inflation increases in August.
- The Federal Reserve is considering whether to raise interest rates or keep them unchanged.
Wholesale inflation in the United States slowed in July as gas prices fell from their earlier spikes. The Labor Department reported that the producer price index rose 4.7% from a year ago, down from a 5.5% increase in June. On a monthly basis, wholesale prices remained unchanged from June to July, following a slight decline of 0.1% in the previous month.
Core wholesale inflation, which excludes food and energy, decreased to 4.2% in July compared to the previous year, down from 4.7% in June. Monthly core prices rose by 0.2%, a decrease from 0.4% in the previous month. Despite the cooling inflation, consumer prices have continued to rise faster than wages, creating affordability challenges for many Americans.
The recent data gives the Federal Reserve more flexibility in its upcoming meeting in September, as officials weigh the possibility of raising interest rates to combat inflation or keeping them steady in hopes of continued cooling. Economists are closely monitoring these trends as they could influence the Fed's decisions and the broader economic outlook.
上月批发价格通胀放缓，汽油和食品成本下降
美国的批发通胀在7月放缓，因汽油价格从之前的高点回落。劳工部报告称，生产者价格指数同比上升4.7%，低于6月的5.5%增幅。按月计算，批发价格在6月至7月间保持不变，此前一个月略微下降0.1%。
核心批发通胀（不包括食品和能源）在7月同比下降至4.2%，低于6月的4.7%。按月计算，核心价格上升0.2%，低于上月的0.4%。尽管通胀放缓，消费者价格仍持续以快于工资的速度上涨，给许多美国人带来了负担能力挑战。
近期数据为美联储在9月即将召开的会议中提供了更多灵活性，官员们正在权衡加息以应对通胀的可能性，或维持利率不变以期望通胀继续降温。经济学家密切关注这些趋势，因为它们可能影响美联储的决策和更广泛的经济前景。