Washington, DC, May 16, 2006--Producer prices rose 0.9% in April, led by higher energy costs, but prices outside of energy were well contained, according to Labor Department data released Tuesday.
Energy prices increased 4% in the month, led by a 12.3% rise in gasoline prices.
The core producer price index for finished goods--which excludes food and energy prices--rose 0.1% for the second month in a row.
Economists were expecting the PPI to rise 0.8% and the core to rise 0.2%.
Prices of intermediate goods rose 0.9%, including a 2.8% rise in energy goods prices. The core intermediate goods PPI rose 0.4%.
Prices of crude goods rose 1.2%, as energy prices rose 1.3%.
