WASHINGTON, Feb 20 (Reuters) - Underlying U.S. inflation increased more than expected in December, and signs are pointing to a further acceleration in January, which would strengthen ‌expectations that the Federal Reserve would not cut interest rates before June. The personal ‌consumption expenditures price index, excluding the volatile food and energy components, rose 0.4% after an unrevised 0.2% gain ​in November, the Commerce Department's Bureau of Economic Analysis said on Friday. Economists polled by ...

Group 1: Wholesale Price Trends - The Producer Price Index (PPI) declined by 0.1% in August, contrary to expectations of a 0.3% increase, indicating that businesses are absorbing tariff costs [1][6] - Core PPI, excluding food and energy, also fell by 0.1% month-over-month, with a year-over-year increase of 2.8% [2] - Companies are reportedly holding off on price hikes due to factors such as foreign suppliers discounting, weak domestic demand, and uncertainty regarding future tariff rates [7] Group 2: Impact of Tariffs - Some imported goods, like tobacco and coffee, showed significant price increases, with tobacco rising by 2.3% in August and coffee prices increasing by 6.9%, marking a 33.3% rise over the past year [3] - Overall, wholesalers and retailers have been slow to pass tariff costs onto consumers, as they are aware of consumer inflation concerns [4] Group 3: Economic Indicators and Federal Reserve Response - Services prices dropped by 0.2% in August, contributing to the overall decline in the PPI, with trade services experiencing a 1.7% drop, the largest since 2009 [10] - The Federal Reserve is expected to cut interest rates, with traders placing 100% odds on a cut at the upcoming meeting, driven by tame inflation data [8][10] - The labor market shows signs of weakness, with average payroll growth at just 29,000 over the past three months, below the breakeven level needed to maintain steady unemployment [12]