WASHINGTON, May 12 (UPI) -- The U.S. Producer Price Index for finished goods rose for the 10th consecutive month in April, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Thursday.
The price of finished goods rose 0.8 percent after climbing 0.7 percent in March and 1.6 percent in February.
Food prices in April rose 0.3 percent after dropping 0.2 percent in March.
For the month, however, about three-quarters of the overall rise can be attributed to a 2.5 percent jump in energy prices, the department said.
Energy costs rose 2.6 percent from a month earlier and 3.3 percent in February.
Core prices for finished goods, which excludes food and energy prices, rose 0.3 percent, slightly higher than expected. Economists had predicted a 0.2 percent rise in core prices for producers for the month.
Under finished core prices, about 0.25 percent of the gain can be attributed to a 1.2 percent increase in civilian aircraft prices, the report said.
