The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released October 2017 Producer Price Indexes (PPI) today. On a seasonally unadjusted basis, the PPI for all commodities increased by 0.2%. Prices for final demand goods moved up 0.3 percent in October, the third straight increase. Over two-thirds of the October rise can be traced to the index for final demand goods less foods and energy, which advanced 0.3 percent. Prices for final demand foods moved up 0.5 percent. The top 10 gainers are listed by PPI category in the table below:
Almost half of the rise in the final demand goods index was the result of higher prices for pharmaceutical preparations, which increased 2.1 percent. The indexes for industrial chemicals, fresh and dry vegetables, diesel fuel, beef and veal, and tobacco products also advanced. Conversely, prices for gasoline fell 4.6 percent. The indexes for light motor trucks and pork also
moved lower.