The US Labor Department reported that its producer price index (PPI), which tracks inflation at the wholesale level, increased by 0.7% in February compared to January. On a yearly basis, producer prices were up 3.4% from February 2025, marking the biggest annual rise in a year.
The increase was higher than economists had predicted and came even before energy prices surged due to the conflict involving Iran.
The rise in wholesale inflation was mainly driven by higher costs for hotel stays and food.