Wholesale Prices Rise for First Time Since March

Washington, DC, Aug. 17, 2010--Wholesale prices rose in July for the first time since March, according to the Labor Department.

The Producer Price Index, which measures price changes before they reach the consumer, rose by 0.2% in July, after three months of declines. The rise matched Wall Street economists' forecasts.

Excluding volatile food and energy costs, so-called "core" producer prices rose by 0.3% in July, the ninth straight increase. Core prices have risen by 1.5% in the past year.

The report comes after the Labor Department said Friday that consumer prices also rose in July for the first time in four months.