U.S. Inflation Stalls Despite Falling Unemployment Claims

In October, U.S. producer prices rose due to increased service costs in portfolio management and airfare, signaling stagnant inflation. The Labor Department's data, which followed tepid consumer inflation, suggests the Federal Reserve may adopt a cautious approach to rate cuts, particularly as unemployment claims drop to a six-month low.

Producer prices in the U.S. experienced a slight uptick in October, propelled by higher service costs such as portfolio management and airline fares. This development suggests a slowdown in progress towards reducing inflation, as indicated by Labor Department data released on Thursday.

These findings follow reports of nearly unchanged consumer inflation last month. Despite this, the Federal Reserve is still expected to proceed with a third interest rate cut in December. However, economists predict less aggressive rate cuts next year due to the stable activity and persistent inflation seen this month.

The labor market showed signs of resilience, with unemployment claims dropping to a six-month low. This data could support a gradual approach to rate cuts, aligning with economists' expectations of a modest increase in core inflation.

(With inputs from agencies.)