Wholesale prices rising with energy, food costs

9/14/2013

WASHINGTON — Higher energy costs pushed U.S. wholesale prices up 0.3 percent last month. Prices rose a modest 1.4 percent over the past year, the lowest gain since April.

Excluding volatile food and energy costs wholesale prices were unchanged in August, the Labor Department said Friday. They were up 1.1 percent over the past year, the smallest gain since June, 2010, and another sign that inflation remains under control.

Energy prices climbed in late August, accounting for two-thirds of the monthly increase in wholesale prices. More expensive vegetables and chicken lifted food prices 0.6 percent in August from July.