Wholesale inflation reaches levels last seen in 2022 amid soaring energy costs

Wholesale inflation rose more than expected last month on a big jump in fuel costs as rising prices become a bigger economic challenge for millions of Americans, and a growing political problem for Republicans in the upcoming midterm elections. The Labor Department’s producer price index—which captures inflation before it reaches consumers—soared 6.3% in September from a year ago, up from 5.6% in August and the biggest increase since December 2022, the government said Thursday. On a monthl...