Wholesale prices throughout the U.S. supply chain eased in October, according to a new report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The producer price index (PPI), a measure of the prices that companies get for finished goods in the marketplace, overall rose 0.2% for the month, better than analysts’ expectations and the same level as September. On a year-over-year basis, PPI rose 8% compared with an 8.4% increase in September.
Supply-chain inflation showed price decreases throughout the stages leading to final production.
Goods inputs for Stage 4 intermediate demand, measuring the products purchased by industries primarily producing output sold to final demand, such as RV manufacturers, fell 0.2% in October after being flat in September. Year-over-year Stage 4 demand rose 7.7%, down from 8.4% in September.
Stage 3 intermediate demand, measuring suppliers to Stage 4 producers such as RV manufacturers fell 1.5% in October after being flat in September. Overall, demand rose 9.1%, down from 10.8% in September and 12.1% in August.
The most significant change came in Stage 2 intermediate demand. Suppliers to Stage 3 suppliers saw prices fall 10.9% in October after a 1.6% revised decline in September. Overall, Stage 2 intermediate demand rose 7.3% year-over-year, far below the 18.6% increase in September and 20.4% increase in August.
Finally, Stage 1 goods demand fell 0.3% in October after rising a revised 0.4% in September. Overall, demand rose 9.2% year-over-year, down from 10.8% in September.
