US wholesale inflation accelerated in January in latest sign that prices picked up last month

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER
AP Economics Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — Wholesale prices in the United States accelerated in January, the latest sign that some inflation pressures in the economy remain elevated. The producer price index — which tracks inflation before it reaches consumers — rose 0.3% from December to January after having fallen -0.1% from November to December. Measured year over year, producer prices rose by a mild 0.9% in January. The figures follow a surprisingly hot report this week that showed that consumer prices eased less than expected last month, signaling that the pandemic-fueled inflation surge is only gradually and fitfully coming under control.