US DATA: Dec PPI -0.1%, core +0.3% (0.03346% unrounded and highest since
July) for +4.8% YOY overall and +3.0% YOY core. Foods -0.8% (fruits &
veg, pork and chicken fell) and Energy -0.8% (gas -2.3%, but several
other areas fell too) held down the overall index. But core was boosted
by cars +0.4% (NSA -0.1%), lt trucks +0.9% (NSA -0.1%), cigarettes +1.1%
and pharma +1.2% (NSA +1.0%). Some of these hikes may be turn-of-yr
anomalies due to bad adjustment (autos) or list-price hikes (pharma),
so are not especially worrisome. Intermediate PPI -0.5% and Crude -1.1%.
New seasonal adjs and new weights will be available Feb 14, before the
next PPI release on Feb 16.