February Producer Price Index Gains 1.3%

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The producer price index rose 1.3% in February, while the “core” rate rose by just 0.4%, the Labor Department reported Friday.The core PPI excludes food and energy. The overall PPI increase followed a 0.6% decline in January, while the core rate had risen 0.2%.Both rates were above analysts’ forecasts. Economists had called for a 0.5% PPI increase, while the core rate was forecast to rise 0.2%, 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.