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. Excluding volatile food and energy costs, “core” wholesale prices rose 0.5%, the most since last July. Compared with a year ago, core prices climbed 2%, up from 1.7% in the previous month.