by Patrick Lunsford, CollectionIndustry.com
Core producer prices, a measure of U.S. inflation that excludes food and energy prices for wholesalers, fell by 0.9% in October, the largest drop in 13 years, the Department of Labor reported Tuesday. The drop reflected a massive drop in car and SUV prices as U.S. manufacturers re-introduced incentives to commercial buyers.
More broadly, the Producer Price Index (PPI) dropped 1.6% in the month, led by declining gas prices. This was the largest drop in that figure since October 2001, and followed another large drop – 1.3% in September of this year.
The easing of inflation took most economists completely by surprise. Analysts were expecting index to fall by 0.5%, while core prices were expected to rise 0.1%, according to Marketwatch.
It is also been speculated that the drop in inflationary pressures will be enough to prevent the cooling U.S. economy from slipping into a recession.
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