Economic News
June PPI, Retail Sales Data Come in Weaker Than Expected
TSC Staff
07/13/01 - 08:49 AM EDT
(Updated from 8:40 a.m. ET) The producer price index 
for June fell 0.4% and came in weaker than economists expected. According to Reuters, economists were looking for a decrease of 0.1%. Excluding the volatile food and energy sectors, the core PPI matched expectations, rising 0.1%, according to data from the Labor Department. Retail sales in June rose 0.2%, the Census Bureau's data indicated. Economists were expecting sales to tick up 0.3%. Excluding auto sales, retail sales fell 0.2%, while the forecast called for an increase of 0.2%.