U.S. PPI and jobless claims data due Thursday

U.S. economic data releases on Thursday will include the Producer Price Index (PPI) and weekly jobless claims, offering insights into inflation pressures and labor market conditions.

The Labor Department is scheduled to publish the PPI for May at 8:30 a.m. EDT, a key indicator of inflation at the wholesale level. Economists anticipate a 0.3% month-over-month increase, following a 0.5% rise in April. The core PPI, excluding food and energy, is projected to rise 0.2%.

Later in the session, the Labor Department will release weekly jobless claims data at 8:30 a.m. EDT. Initial claims are forecast to total 225,000, up from 222,000 the prior week. Continuing claims are expected to edge up to 1.79 million from 1.78 million.

The PPI and jobless claims follow Tuesday’s consumer inflation report, which showed a 0.3% increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for May, aligning with expectations. The data will be closely monitored by Federal Reserve officials as they assess the trajectory of inflation and labor market tightness ahead of the central bank’s next policy meeting.

Market reaction to the releases may hinge on deviations from forecasts, particularly if PPI data signals stronger-than-anticipated inflationary pressures or if jobless claims rise more sharply, indicating potential labor market softening.