Deflation
FILE - In this Dec. 12, 2019, file photo workers process chickens at the Lincoln Premium Poultry plant, Costco Wholesale's dedicated poultry supplier, in Fremont, Neb. U.S. wholesale prices rose 0.3% in August 2020, just half the July gain, as food and energy prices decline. The Labor Department said Thursday, Sept. 10 that the August advance in the producer price index — which measures inflation before it reaches consumers — followed a 0.6% surge in June which was the biggest monthly gain since October 2018. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik, File)
Wholesale prices rise 0.3%, but inflation not the worry now

By Martin Crutsinger Nov. 13, 2020 08:49 AM EST

File - In this Thursday, Sept. 3 2020 file picture the moon shines over the European Central Bank in Frankfurt, Germany. Low inflation, in negative territory for the first time since 2016, is leading analysts to think the ECB will have to add more stimulus to support what could be a drawn-out, difficult recovery from the virus outbreak in the 19 countries that use the euro. (AP Photo/Michael Probst, File)
Falling prices flash warning light for Europe's economy

By David Mchugh Sep. 08, 2020 07:09 AM EDT

FILE - In this March 31, 2020 file photo, prices are seen on a gas pump in Brandon, Miss. U.S. consumer prices jumped 0.6% in July as gasoline prices continued to rise. The Labor Department reported Wednesday, Aug. 12, that the increase in its consumer price index matched a 0.6% rise in June. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)
US consumer prices rose 0.6% in July, matching June uptick

By Paul Wiseman Aug. 12, 2020 09:16 AM EDT

FILE - In this Nov. 27, 2019, file photo people shop for food the day before the Thanksgiving holiday at a Walmart Supercenter in Las Vegas. U.S. consumer prices increased slightly last month, driven higher by more expensive food. The Labor Department said Wednesday, March 11, 2020, that the consumer price index ticked up 0.1% last month, matching its January increase. (AP Photo/John Locher, File)
Spiking cost of gasoline pushes June consumer prices up 0.6%

By Martin Crutsinger Jul. 14, 2020 09:42 AM EDT

FILE - In this Aug. 27, 2013, file photo, workers load large containers of nectarines for sorting at Eastern ProPak Farmers Cooperative in Glassboro, N.J. U.S. wholesale prices fell 0.6% in February 2020, the biggest decline in five years, led by a sharp drop in energy costs. The Labor Department said the decline in its producer price index, which measures price pressures before they reach the consumer, followed a 0.5% rise in January. It was the sharpest decline since a similar 0.6% drop in January 2015. (AP Photo/Mel Evans, File)
US wholesale prices rise 0.4% in May led by food and energy

By Martin Crutsinger Jun. 11, 2020 08:58 AM EDT

Angie Moorefield unfolds material to begin sewing a disposable gown at Burlington Medical in Newport News Wednesday, May 6, 2020. The manufacturing business recently shifted from producing radiation protection gear for medical facilities to in-demand personal protective equipment such as masks, gowns and plastic face shields. (Jonathon Gruenke/The Virginian-Pilot via AP)
US wholesale prices drop record 1.3% in April

By Martin Crutsinger May. 13, 2020 09:31 AM EDT

FILE - This Aug. 11, 2019 file photo shows credit cards in New Orleans. U.S. consumer borrowing fell in March for the first time in more than eight years, with the category covering credit cards dropping by the largest amount in over three decades, the Federal Reserve reported Thursday, May 7, 2020. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane, file)
Why prospect of deflation could pose a threat to US economy

By Martin Crutsinger May. 12, 2020 09:39 AM EDT

FILE - In this March 16, 2020, filer photo, Bank of Japan Gov. Haruhiko Kuroda speaks during a news conference in Tokyo. Japan’s central bank on Monday, April 27, 2020, announced it is making it easier for cash-strapped companies to get funding in response to the growing economic damage from the coronavirus pandemic. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, File)
Japan central bank eases monetary policy to counter pandemic

By Yuri Kageyama Apr. 27, 2020 12:22 AM EDT