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August 15, 2006 10:15 AM, EDT

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he producer price index rose 0.1% in July, the Labor Department reported Tuesday, while the "core" PPI rate excluding food and energy declined 0.3%.

he reading of wholesale prices paid to factories, farmers and other producers followed a 0.5% increase in June.

Economists had forecast a 0.4% jump in the PPI. The core increase exceeded expectations of a 0.2% rise, 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.

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