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July 18, 2006 9:30 AM, EDT

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he producer price index rose 0.5% in June, the Labor Department reported Tuesday, while the "core" PPI rate excluding food and energy rose 0.2%.

he reading of wholesale prices paid to factories, farmers and other producers followed May’s 0.2% jump.

Economists had forecast a 0.3% rise in the PPI, while the core increase matched expectations, Bloomberg reported.

An increase in the PPI could indicate strong demand for goods, which would mean more shipments for trucking companies. However, if inflation begins to accelerate too quickly, it could also hurt the economy.