Producer prices rise little, indicating high oil costs aren't fueling inflation

WASHINGTON (Bloomberg) -- Prices paid to U.S. producers for goods other than energy and food were little changed in March, suggesting higher oil costs haven't triggered accelerating inflation, government figures showed today.

The core rate of the producer price index rose 0.1 percent last month, following a 0.3 percent gain in February and a 0.2 percent drop in January, the Labor Department reported. All producer prices rose 1 percent last month, matching February's gain, which was the highest since Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990.