U.S. producer prices jump 6%

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on May 13 that its producer price index for final demand rose 1.4% in April from March and 6.0% from a year earlier. The monthly gain was the largest since March 2022, and the 12-month increase was the biggest since December 2022, according to the agency’s release. The data measure prices received by domestic producers for goods and services and are watched as an indicator of pipeline inflation before it reaches consumers. PBS, citing the Associated Press, said the April reading added pressure on companies facing higher costs. ### Which parts of the April report drove the increase? BLS said nearly 60% of the April rise in final demand prices was tied to a 1.2% increase in final demand services. The agency said two-thirds of that services gain came from a 2.7% jump in margins for final demand trade services, a category that measures changes in margins received by wholesalers and retailers. (bls.gov) Final demand goods rose 2.0% in April, the report said. BLS listed a 7.8% increase in energy prices, including a 15.6% jump in gasoline and a 12.6% rise in diesel fuel, among the notable moves in the goods categories. ### How unusual was the 6% year-over-year gain? The 6.0% annual increase was the highest since December 2022, when producer prices rose 6.4% from a year earlier, BLS said. (bls.gov) The April monthly increase of 1.4% was the largest since March 2022, when final demand prices rose 1.7%. PBS, in its May 13 report carrying the Associated Press story, described the April reading as the highest point in more than three years. (bls.gov) The outlet said the figures intensified pressure on companies to pass along higher costs to consumers. (bls.gov) ### What does this index measure before prices reach consumers? The Producer Price Index program measures the average change over time in selling prices received by domestic producers for their output, BLS says. The agency says the prices in the index come from the first commercial transaction for many products and some services. (pbs.org) April’s report also showed increases beyond the headline measure. BLS said processed goods for intermediate demand rose 2.7%, unprocessed goods increased 4.1%, and services for intermediate demand climbed 1.1% in April. ### How did markets react on the day of the release? CNBC reported on May 12 that the 30-year Treasury bond yield rose above 5%, reaching 5.023%, as investors assessed hotter inflation data. (blsmon1.bls.gov) On May 13, CNBC said stock traders were also weighing “another hotter-than-expected inflation report” as the S&P 500 and Nasdaq hit record closes while most stocks in the index fell. (bls.gov) The PBS report said wholesale inflation data helped lift 30-year Treasury yields above 5% on Wednesday. The move in yields came as investors tracked inflation readings and energy-price pressures, according to CNBC’s market coverage. (cnbc.com) ### When is the next producer-price report due? BLS publishes the Producer Price Index on a monthly schedule through its economic news release calendar. The latest PPI news release page lists the April report as published on May 13, 2026. The Bureau of Labor Statistics is scheduled to release May 2026 producer-price data on June 11, 2026. (pbs.org) That report will show whether the April acceleration in goods, services and energy prices persisted into the next month. (bls.gov)