Price falls signal easing US inflation US wholesale prices declined in April for the first time in four months led by a fall in energy costs, in a sign of easing inflation pressures. The producer prices index, which measures the average change in prices received by domestic producers of goods and services, fell 0.2 per cent in April, according to labour department statistics. Analysts had expected a repeat of March when there was no change. The core PPI, which strips out the food and energy costs, posted a 0.2 per cent rise, in line with estimates. There was a 0.3 per cent rise in March. Gains were driven by an uptick in the cost of passenger cars, light motor trucks, household furniture and apparel. Energy prices fell 1.4 per cent in April, the biggest decrease since October, as the cost of petrol fell 1.7 per cent. Food costs edged 0.2 per cent higher. Year on year, wholesale prices rose 1.9 per cent compared with 2.8 per cent for March. Not accounting for food and energy, year-on-year costs rose 2.7 per cent in April versus 2.9 per cent the prior month. Prices for intermediate goods, which are partly finished goods such as lumber or flour that require further processing, fell 0.5 per cent in April. Meanwhile, prices of raw materials, also known as crude goods, fell 4.4 per cent.