Mubasher: The seasonally adjusted US producer price index (PPI) for final demand ticked down 0.2% in December 2018, official data released on Tuesday showed.

The fall in final demand prices was ascribed to a 0.4% decline in the index measuring the prices for final demand goods last December, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) said.

In addition, the gauge for final demand services inched down 0.1% last month.

The unadjusted final demand index rose 2.5% over 2018, the same as in 2017.

Stripping out volatile food, energy products and trade services, the PPI for final demand remained steady during last December, following a 0.3% gain in the previous month, rising 2.8% year-on-year.

By 1:26 pm GMT, the US dollar index rose 0.32% to 95.9130.