Producer Prices Gain in January

he U.S. producer price index rose 0.3% in January, the Labor Department reported Friday.

he reading of prices paid to factories, farmers and other producers followed a 0.6% gain in December.

The so-called “core” PPI, excluding energy and food, rose 0.4%, twice was economists had predicted, 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.