The U.S. PPI monthly rate in February recorded 0.6%, which may once again indicate that the Federal Reserve will not be in a hurry to cut interest rates.

U.S. PPI data for February exceeded expectations, recording a monthly rate of 0.6%, the largest increase since August 2023. Data released by the U.S. Labor Department on Thursday showed that PPI data, which represents final demand, rose 0.6% month-on-month and 1.6% year-on-year. Core PPI, which excludes the volatile food and energy categories, rose 0.3% month-on-month and 2% year-on-year. Analysts believe that the higher-than-expected PPI data indicates that the road ahead for Fed policymakers seeking to make greater progress in fighting inflation is not smooth. Previously released U.S. CPI data showed that overall inflation exceeded expectations for the second consecutive month, reaffirming market expectations that the Federal Reserve will not be in a hurry to cut interest rates. (Golden Ten)