The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the Producer Price Index (PPI) for final demand rose 0.4% month-over-month in September 2026, slightly below the 0.5% consensus forecast. On an annual basis, headline producer inflation eased to 5.3%, cooling from 5.4% in August and undercutting the 5.4% expected by analysts. This moderation in wholesale price growth offers a counterpoint to yesterday’s "hot" Consumer Price Index (CPI) report, which showed a 0.6% monthly jump.
The report arrives despite persistent energy price volatility linked to the Iran conflict, which has kept Brent crude prices elevated near $107 per barrel. Markets remained under pressure at the time of the release, with Nasdaq 100 futures trading down 1.3% as investors weighed the mixed inflation data against the increased probability of a Federal Reserve interest rate hike in late October.