U.S. producer prices tepid; jobless claims at more than two-year high
WASHINGTON - U.S. producer prices were unexpectedly unchanged in November as increases in food and gasoline prices were offset by declining costs for services, pointing to muted inflation despite a recent uptick in consumer prices.
FILE PHOTO: Customers shop during Black Friday sales at a Target store in Chicago, Illinois, U.S. November 29, 2019. REUTERS/Joshua Lott/File Photo Other data on Thursday showed the number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits surged to more than a two-year high last week. The jump in jobless claims, however, likely does not signal a pickup in layoffs as the data tends to be volatile in the period following the Thanksgiving Day holiday. The reports were released a day after the Federal Reserve’s decision to keep interest rates steady. The U.S. central bank indicated on Wednesday that borrowing costs were likely to remain unchanged at least through next year amid expectations the economy would continue to grow modestly and the unemployment rate remain low. The Labor Department said the flat reading in its producer price index for final demand last month followed a 0.4% rebound in October. The PPI gained 1.1% in the 12 months through November, matching October’s rise, which was the smallest increase since October 2016. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast the PPI would rise 0.2% in November and accelerate 1.2% on a year-on-year basis. Excluding the volatile food, energy and trade services components, producer prices were also unchanged last month after edging up 0.1% in October. The so-called core PPI increased 1.3% in the 12 months through November, the smallest gain since September 2016, after advancing 1.5% in October. U.S. stock index futures extended losses after the release of the data. Prices of U.S. Treasuries were trading mixed while the dollar .DXY was slightly higher against a basket of currencies. The PPI data followed a report on Wednesday showing solid gains in consumer prices in November. The Fed, which has a 2% annual inflation target, tracks the core personal consumption expenditures price index for monetary policy. The core PCE price index rose 1.6% on a year-on-year basis in October and has fallen short of its target this year. November PCE price data will be published next week.In another report on Thursday, the Labor Department said initial claims for state unemployment benefits surged 49,000 to a seasonally adjusted 252,000 for the week ended Dec. 7, the highest reading since September 2017. The increase was the largest since August 2017. Claims dropped to 203,000 in the prior week, which was a seven-month low. The decline likely reflected a late Thanksgiving Day this year compared to 2018, which could have thrown off the model used by the government to strip out seasonal fluctuations from the data. Economists had forecast claims would increase to 213,000 in the latest week. The four-week moving average of initial claims, considered a better measure of labor market trends as it irons out week-to-week volatility, rose 6,250 to 224,000 last week. The underlying trend in claims remains consistent with a strong labor market. The government reported last Friday that the economy added a robust 266,000 jobs in November and the unemployment rate fell back to 3.5%, its lowest level in nearly half a century. Other data on housing, trade and manufacturing have also been relatively upbeat and suggested the economy was growing at a moderate speed rather than stalling. In November, wholesale energy prices increased 0.6% after rebounding 2.8% in October. They were supported by a 2.3% rise in gasoline prices, which followed a 7.3% surge in October. Goods prices rose 0.3% last month, slowing from October’s 0.7% gain in October. Wholesale food prices increased 1.1% last month after vaulting 1.3% in October. Core goods prices increased 0.2% last month. They were unchanged in October. The cost of services dropped 0.3% last month, the biggest drop since February 2017, reversing October’s 0.3% gain. Trade services, which measure changes in margins received by wholesalers and retailers, dropped 0.6%, accounting for over two-thirds of the drop in prices for services last month. The cost of healthcare services fell 0.2% in November after accelerating 0.8% in the prior month. The cost of hospital outpatient care dropped 1.1% last month after vaulting 1.5% in October. Inpatient care prices were unchanged. Those healthcare costs feed into the core PCE price index. Portfolio management fees, which also go into the calculation of the core PCE price index, rebounded 1.2% after falling 0.9% in October.
Please follow us on Google to support us United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Next Oil Rally May Be Made in Texas, Not ViennaOPEC met in Vienna last week, attempting to bolster oil prices and the Saudi Aramco IPO. But, as Spencerjakab explains, the next oil rally may actually take place at the hands of U.S. shale producers. WSJWhatsNow
Read more »
Jobless claims, tech earnings, UK election: 3 things to watch for in the markets on ThursdayWe'll get weekly jobless claims, earnings from Oracle, Adobe and Broadcom and the U.K. will hold its general election on Thursday.
Read more »
Singapore third-quarter jobless rate edges up to decade-high of 2.3%Singapore's unemployment rate in the third quarter edged up to its highest ...
Read more »
Jobless claims soar to a more than 2-year high of 252,000 in wake of ThanksgivingThe number of Americans who applied for unemployment benefits in early December soared to highest level in more than two years, but the spike was likely tied...
Read more »
Unemployment claims suddenly jump to a two-year highThe number of Americans filing for their first week of unemployment benefits suddenly jumped last week to the highest level in more than two years.
Read more »
House passes Speaker Nancy Pelosi's drug pricing billThe sweeping bill will allow the U.S. government to negotiate lower prices on the costliest drugs each year.
Read more »