Core wholesale prices rose less than expected in September; retail sales gain

Group 1 - Core wholesale prices rose 0.3% in September, aligning with Dow Jones consensus estimates, indicating potential cooling in pipeline inflation pressures [1] - Excluding food and energy, the index increased by 0.1%, which is below the 0.2% estimate, while both core and headline PPI had decreased by 0.1% in August [2] - Headline PPI increased by 2.9% year-over-year, while core PPI rose by 2.6% [2] Group 2 - Goods prices drove the PPI increase, rising 0.9% month-over-month, marking the largest jump since February 2024, while services prices remained flat [2] - Final-demand energy prices surged by 3.5% for the month, with gasoline prices contributing significantly due to an 11.8% increase [3] - Transportation and warehousing prices rose by 0.8%, and airline passenger fees surged by 4% [3] Group 3 - Retail sales increased by 0.2% in September, slightly below the 0.3% forecast, while sales excluding autos rose by 0.3%, meeting estimates [4] - Miscellaneous retailers experienced a 2.9% increase, while gas stations saw a 2% rise due to higher prices; however, sporting goods and online sales declined by 2.5% and 0.7%, respectively [5] - Retail sales, adjusted for seasonality but not inflation, increased by 4.3% year-over-year, surpassing the 3% CPI rate for the month [5]