A long-delayed report from the Labor Department released Wednesday showed that U.S. import and export prices were unchanged in September, signaling a pause in trade-related inflation pressures.
Import prices were flat for the month, following a downwardly revised 0.1% increase in August. Economists had anticipated a slight 0.1% rise, based on the earlier estimate of a 0.3% gain.
Export prices also held steady in September, mirroring the revised 0.1% uptick reported for August. Analysts likewise expected a 0.1% increase, compared with the initially reported 0.3% advance.
The stagnation on both fronts suggests limited pricing momentum across U.S. trade flows heading into the final quarter of the year.