Producer Prices Rise 0.4% in February

Prices paid to U.S. producers climbed 0.4% in February, the largest gain in five months, the Labor Department said Thursday.

The so-called core producer price index excluding food and energy rose 0.2%, Labor said.

Economists had predicted a 0.5% gain in the PPI, while core prices matched projections, Bloomberg reported.

An increase in the PPI could indicate strong demand for goods, which would mean more shipments for trucking companies. However, if inflation begins to accelerate too quickly, it could also hurt the economy.