U.S. Core Producer Prices Decline for First Time in a Year

A key measure of U.S. producer prices unexpectedly fell in December and the overall gauge declined more than forecast amid lower oil prices, signaling potential inflation pressures in the economy are contained.

Excluding food and energy, producer prices decreased 0.1 percent from the prior month, the first decline in a year, according to a Labor Department report Tuesday. The overall producer-price index fell 0.2 percent from November after a 0.1 percent rise. The Bloomberg survey median called for an increase in the core PPI and a drop in the main index.