The Producer Price Index (PPI) for final demand was flat in June, following a 0.3% rise in May and a 0.3% drop in April.
A 0.3% increase in goods prices offset a 0.1% decrease in services prices for the month.
The core PPI (excluding food, energy, and trade services) remained unchanged in June but rose 2.5% year-over-year.
Tuesdays release of the Consumer Price Index showed a one-month 0.3% increase in the prices consumers paid in June. But Wednesdays release of the Producer Price Index was something of a surprise, showing inflation largely disappeared at the wholesale level last month.
Thats significant for consumers because it suggests there is little pressure to push consumer prices up in the near future, despite concerns about tariffs.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today that wholesale inflation, as measured by the Producer Price Index (PPI) for final demand, was unchanged in June on a seasonally adjusted basis. The reading follows a 0.3% increase in May and a 0.3% decline in April, pointing to a cooling yet uneven inflationary trend in the producer market.
Over the past 12 months, the PPI rose 2.3%, a moderate increase that may offer the Federal Reserve some reassurance as it gauges future interest rate policy.
Goods offset weakness in services
The flat monthly PPI reading in June masks underlying movement in its two primary components: goods and services. Prices for final demand goods climbed 0.3% in June, the sharpest gain since February, led by a 0.3% rise in core goods, excluding food and energy. Energy and food prices also ticked upward by 0.6% and 0.2%, respectively.
Some price increases included:
Communication and related equipment: up 0.8%
Gasoline and electric power: higher
Poultry and meat products: slightly higher
However, some categories saw steep declines. The price of eggs plunged by 21.8%, and materials such as natural gas liquids and thermoplastic resins also dropped.
On the services side, the index declined by 0.1%, a reversal from Mays 0.4% gain. The decline was primarily due to:
A 4.1% decrease in traveler accommodation services
Lower prices in automobile retailing, deposit services, airfare, and food and alcohol wholesaling
Economic outlook
The PPI report adds to a growing body of evidence that inflationary pressures at the wholesale level are stabilizing. With services pricing showing some signs of softness and goods prices rebounding modestly, analysts say the Federal Reserve is likely to maintain a cautious stance in its policy decisions.
While data in the PPI are encouraging, its retail prices that will affect consumers. Economists will now turn their attention to the CPI and other macroeconomic data for further clues on the direction of inflation and interest rates in the second half of the year.
Restaurants like Krispy Kreme, Golden Corral, and Chick-fil-A are offering grads free doughnuts, chicken sandwiches, desserts, and buffet meals.
Many graduation freebies are local promotions, so checking restaurant apps, Facebook pages, or calling ahead can pay off.
Some grads are also mailing graduation announcements to popular brands and getting free merch, coupons, or gift cards back.
Youve put in the hard work and made it to graduation day.
Congrats!
Now its time to go get some free food and even some free merchandise from many popular brands.
From free doughnuts, to free swag, to free buffet meals, here are some of the best grad deals happening right now.
Krispy Kreme
Only on May 21, grads wearing a cap, gown, or any Class of 2026 gear can score a free three-pack of original glazed doughnuts, with no purchase necessary.
May 21seems to be the day of consensus, but it appears some locations are running the promotion on different days in May, so calling ahead is smart before driving over.
Golden Corral
Some participating locations are offering graduates a free buffet meal and beverage when they show up in cap and gown on graduation night.
Keep in mind that the offer does vary by franchise, so its best to ask at your local Golden Corral what theyre offering. The offer is valid through June 30,which is generous.
Pro tip: Ive noticed that smaller-town Golden Corral locations often participate more aggressively in local graduation promotions than busy metro stores.
Pluckers Wing Bar
Graduates can get a free meal with the purchase of an adult entree on graduation day withproof of graduation. Accepted proof may include a diploma, graduation program, or a Student ID.
TGI Fridays
Graduates can receive a free appetizer or dessert with an entree purchase through mid-June witha student ID.
This is one of the longer-running graduation offers available right now.
Brio Italian Grille
If youre hosting a grad party, you might want to consider Brio as you can score a free tray of cannoli when placing a catering order of $100 or more. Just place your order online and use promo code GRAD2026 during checkout. The offer expires on June 30.
This works especially well for larger family gatherings where catering costs can get expensive quickly. You get a free dessert which is pretty sweet.
Buca di Beppo
Graduates dining-in at Buca di Beppo can get a free cannoli during graduation celebrations.
Catering customers spending at least $100 can also receive a half tray of cannoli for parties and family gatherings.
Raising Cane's
Grads are encouragedto visit their giveaway pageto winone of 2,026 Grad Gift Boxes.
The box will include a Canes branded hat, a card to redeem a Box Combo, and a letter from Raising Canes owner and founder Todd Graves.
You actually have the option to upload a photo of your graduation announcement if you want. They give gradsuntil May 29th to enter.
Chick-fil-A
Several locations around the country are offering graduates free chicken sandwiches, nuggets, or meals withgraduation gear or proof of graduation.
For example:
One location is offering grads a free Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich for wearing cap and gown.
Another offered a free meal for graduating seniors with proof of graduation.
Some locations are giving away free nuggets instead.
Many local franchises are offering cool grad promotions, so your best bet is to check your local Chick-fil-as Facebook page, as most are promoting there.
Many brands will mail grads something, too
One trend getting a lot of attention right now is grads mailing graduation announcements to brands and companies. Surprisingly, many have actually responded with some pretty cool free stuff.
Graduates have reported hearing back from companies with things like gift cards, coupons, stickers, cool merch, free food vouchers, and even small gifts.
Here are the main brands that grads have been writing toand getting Congratulations Graduate! gifts:
Lego:Small random Lego set and a congrats card.
Chick-fil-A:Theyll often send you a plush cow, branded hat, and even a possible sweatshirt.
SunBum:Sunscreen, lip balm, stickers, and sometimes branded merchandise.
Crumbl Cookies:Gift card, stickers, and a hand-written note.
Takis:Congrats letter, bag of their new chips, and even some branded swag.
There is obviously no guarantee companies will respond, but many grads are trying it because it costs almost nothing besides postage and a little effort. Just do a quick Google search for their corporate address (or PR department), and mail them one of your graduation cards.
Pro tip: The grads getting the best responses usually include a short personal note instead of simply asking for free stuff. Its no surprise that funny or heartfelt messages tend to stand out more than generic graduation announcements.
The biggest Memorial Day discounts may arrive before the holiday weekend, with many of the deepest markdowns historically appearing on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
Patio furniture, fashion, and mattresses are expected to offer some of the best savings this year, with discounts reaching as high as 34% on average.
Experts warn shoppers to watch out for inflated before prices and recommend comparing price histories across retailers to spot genuine deals.
Memorial Day weekend has long been known as one of the biggest shopping events of the year, but new data suggests consumers may want to rethink when they hit buy.
According to a recent analysis from Decodo, some of the strongest discounts are expected to appear before the holiday weekend officially begins especially for shoppers looking for deals on patio furniture, clothing, and mattresses.
ConsumerAffairs spoke with Gabriele Vitke, Product Marketing Team Lead at Decodo, who shared what categories are likely to have the best deals, when to wait and see on certain deals, and other Memorial Day sales trends.
Where the biggest savings are
Heres a breakdown of where the biggest savings are expected this Memorial Day:
Patio furniture and outdoor goods: This led every other category in 2025 at a 34% average discount, with prior-season clearance furniture reaching 47%.
Fashion and apparel: This category followed at 32%, athleisure hit 39%, and swimwear 36%.
Mattresses: Average discounts landed at 30% in 2025, with memory foam direct-to-consumer brands cutting 38%, and some individual offers reaching 50% off list.
Major appliances: Averaged a 22% discount, but bundled multi-piece kitchen sets unlocked 27%
Groceries: 15% discount on average.
Dynamic pricing engines respond to inventory pressure and competitive density, rather than the calendar, so the same structural forces that delivered 2025's results are in play for 2026, Vitke said.
What has shifted dramatically is the consumer wallet. Average expected spend fell from roughly $284 in 2025 to $91 in 2026, a decline of nearly 68%, while participation rose from 37% to 53% of shoppers. More households are showing up with much smaller baskets, which keeps retailer pressure to compete on price firmly intact.
When to shop and when to wait
While there are plenty of sales worth jumping on for Memorial Day, its important to be a discerning shopper. Vitke shared which days of the weekend are likely to have the best deals, as well as when to shop at certain retailers.
Consumer electronics is the clearest category to skip, Vitke said. In 2025, 65-inch 4K TVs averaged 11% off on Memorial Day, versus 19% on Prime Day and 24% on Black Friday; mid-range laptops followed the same 11/18/23 pattern; and premium wireless headphones, gaming console bundles, and current-model smartphones all showed their deepest annual cuts in late November. If the item is a current-model premium electronics SKU, the math almost always favors waiting.
When it comes to timing yourshopping, Vitke has more advice.
The shop on Monday advice is really a Walmart-and-grocery pattern, not a universal one, she said. Amazon's best price-drop day across 2025 was Wednesday, so Wednesday, May 20, is the algorithmically-friendly early window.
Best Buy peaked on Friday, Target and Newegg on Saturday, Home Depot and CVS on Tuesday, and Walgreens on Wednesday. Shoppers get the most value by aligning to each retailer's rhythm rather than defaulting to Monday.
How to spot a genuine markdown
Not every sale you see marketed on Memorial Day comes with a genuine price markdown.
Sometimes, retailers will even show higher list prices to make it look like the sale price is a better bargain than it really is. However, Vitke has some advice for knowing how to spot real sales.
First, use a browser extension to check 60-to-180-day price history rather than trusting the percentage-off claim on the page, she said. Second, compare the actual dollar price across retailers selling the same SKU, because same-SKU spreads of up to 19% appeared between the cheapest and most expensive major retailers across the 2025 weekend.
Third, and this is the discipline that separates consistent winners, set a target price you'd actually pay before the sale opens, the same way the pricing engines themselves set thresholds before the transaction window.
Preparation beats reaction
Vitkes last piece of Memorial Day shopping advice: preparation beats reaction.
One pattern that gets overlooked: the cookout-focused household typically saves more in absolute dollars across grocery and beverage purchases than on any single non-mattress big-ticket category, she said.
Beverage-alcohol traffic ran roughly 22% above baseline during the 2025 weekend, with premium spirits down 14% and cookout proteins down 25%. The dollars add up quickly across the basket. One timing nuance worth flagging: across 2025, the deepest individual markdowns on 41% of tracked SKUs landed on the Wednesday or Thursday before the holiday, not on the weekend itself. Preparation beats reaction every time.
Shoppers can now check price history on multiple items at once, easily compare products, and even avoid fake sale prices without leaving Amazon.
Price alerts can help curb impulse buying as users can set target prices and let Alexa notify them when the price is right or even buy it automatically.
Alexa can now analyze photos you take and recommend cheaper alternatives.For the DIYer, it can help you troubleshoot broken appliances and electronics.
Amazons AI shopping assistant is quietly turning into something much bigger than a voice assistant that tells you the weather.
The latest version of Amazons Alexa+ for Shopping now helps users compare products, track price history, set automatic purchase triggers, build shopping guides, and even monitor deals across the web. And for shoppers trying to avoid overpaying online, some of the new features are surprisingly useful.
Heres how consumers can actually use Alexas shopping tools to save money and shop smarter.
Echo device no longer required, or a Prime account
To take advantage of this new technology, you just need to be signed into your Amazon account. You dont need a Prime membership, an Echo device, or the Alexa app to make it happen.
All you have to do is tap the Alexa icon in the bottom navigation bar in the Amazon app, or youll find it at the top of your screen when on a laptop or desktop.
Use price history before buying anything expensive
One of the most useful new features is Alexas built-in price history tracking.
Shoppers can now ask Alexa:
Has this item been cheaper recently?
Whats the price history?
Has this gone on sale before?
Alexa will then show:
30-day pricing history
90-day pricing history
Full 365-day pricing trends
That matters for shoppers because many Amazon sales are not really sales at all. A product marked 25% off today may have sold for the exact same price two weeks ago.
The nice thing is that when youre looking at five possible gift ideas, Alexa will show the price history on each. This is a new feature and a huge time saver when looking for a real deal.
Pro tip: Use price history especially on electronics, kitchen appliances, vacuums, coffee makers, and headphones. Those categories tend to fluctuate constantly on Amazon.
Set price alerts instead of panic-buying
Setting targeted price alerts just might be the best feature for deal hunters.
Users can now tell Alexa:
Alert me when this drops below $50
Buy this when it hits 30% off
Purchase this when it falls to $15
Alexa will monitor pricing automatically and either:
Send an alert
Or complete the purchase automatically using your default payment method
That removes a lot of the obsessive checking prices every day behavior many shoppers fall into. And it can prevent impulse buying simply because something looks temporarily discounted.
Compare products side-by-side faster
Amazon also added AI-powered product comparisons directly inside their search results.
So, instead of opening 14 browser tabs trying to compare things like coffee makers, laptops, vacuums, and headphones, Alexa can now summarize major differences in:
Price
Features
Reviews
Weight
Battery life
Waterproofing
Materials
This feature alone can save shoppers a surprising amount of time and frustration.
Pro tip: Use comparisons to eliminate bad options quickly instead of endlessly researching tiny differences between similar products.
Use Alexa to avoid forgetting recurring household purchases
One underrated feature is Scheduled Actions.
Alexa can now automate repetitive shopping tasks like:
Reordering pet food
Restocking paper towels
Buying detergent
Refilling protein bars
Tracking new book releases
This can help families avoid expensive last-minute purchases at convenience stores or grocery stores where prices are often much higher. For example, running out of paper towels unexpectedly may cost twice as much locally compared to buying in bulk online ahead of time.
You can also say things like, Add this dog food to my cart if the price drops below $35 and I havent purchased it in over 30 days.
Upload photos to find cheaper alternatives
I have to admit that this is a pretty cool new feature. Alexa can now analyze your uploaded photos and help you find similar products.
For example:
Upload a photo of a handbag
Snap a picture of a chair
Screenshot shoes from social media
Then ask Alexa to:
Find something similar under $100
Find cheaper versions
Compare similar styles
This can be especially useful for avoiding overpriced influencer products or trendy impulse buys.
Amazon is known for cheaper versions of more expensive name-brand items. So by being able to analyze your photos, they can help you easily find products that have a very similar style, but cost significantly less.
Something break? Ask Alexa for help
For a DIYer like myself, this might be the single best feature of Amazons new shopping feature.
Heres a scenario that youll inevitably come across:
Your clothes dryer suddenly stops heating.
You type into the Alexa for Shopping search bar: Why is my dryer blowing cold air?
Since you previously ordered a replacement lint filter for your Samsung dryer through Alexa+, it already knows the exact model you own.
Alexa for Shopping explains that the issue is commonly caused by a tripped thermal fuse or clogged vent line on that model and walks you through a few troubleshooting steps to try before scheduling a repair.
After cleaning out a heavily clogged exterior vent, the dryer starts heating normally again.
Be careful with automatic purchasing
While the convenience is impressive, its smart to be very cautious with your auto-buy settings.
If left unchecked, automatic purchasing can easily lead to:
Overspending
Duplicate purchases
Subscription-style shopping habits
Buying things simply because they hit a sale price
Just because something gets cheaper does not necessarily mean you still need it.
Pro tip: Create price alerts only for items you already planned to buy anyway. Otherwise, the deal itself becomes the reason for spending money.
Air travel has been increasingly erratic and stressful, even before the Spirit Airlines collapse, which will affect flyers on other airlines, too. In addition, the big four airlines are raising prices or cutting flights or both, Teresa Murray, Consumer Watchdog director for U.S. PIRG Education Fund, said in a news release.
A lot of issues are converging: a shortage of air traffic controllers, the economy, bad weather, more cancellations and delays, government shutdowns that affect security lines, higher airfares and baggage fees that are $10 to $15 more per bag than a year ago.
The main findings
Researchers found that overall on-time performance fell to 76.34% in 2025, the lowest level recorded since 2014. That translated to nearly one in four flights being delayed, canceled, or diverted. In addition, roughly one in 12 flights arrived at least an hour late.
The report also noted that airlines canceled more than 118,000 flights across the nations 10 largest carriers and their regional partners.
Lengthy tarmac delays increased sharply in 2025, with domestic delays lasting more than three hours reaching their highest level since federal tarmac rules were introduced in 2010.
When it came to specific airlines, some had better results than others. Hawaiian Airlines ranked among the strongest carriers for on-time arrivals and low cancellation rates. Frontier, JetBlue, and American Airlines were on the other end of the spectrum, leading the charge for the airlines with the weakest delays and cancellations.
What led to the delays?
According to the U.S. PIRG Education Fund, there are several reasons for the worsening performance.
Among the biggest challenges were shortages of air traffic controllers, increasingly crowded airspace, and airline scheduling practices that leave little room for disruptions. Researchers also highlighted operational problems that can create a ripple effect across entire flight networks once delays begin.
What this means for travelers
For consumers, the findings are another reminder that air travel can still be unpredictable even years after pandemic-era disruptions eased.
Travelers may want to build extra time into itineraries, especially for tight connections or important events. The report also emphasized the importance of understanding airline passenger rights, particularly when flights are canceled or significantly delayed. Congress approved new consumer protections in 2024 that guarantee refunds in certain situations if passengers choose not to accept rebooking offers.
Researchers warned that travel disruptions are unlikely to disappear anytime soon, meaning passengers may continue facing long waits, schedule changes, and added stress when flying.
Travelers still have many, many rights and its more important than ever for passengers to know what those are, said Andre Delattre, The Public Interest Networks senior vice president and COO. You cant just show up and expect everything to go smoothly. Air travel is a participation sport.
Restaurants like Krispy Kreme, Golden Corral, and Chick-fil-A are offering grads free doughnuts, chicken sandwiches, desserts, and buffet meals.
Many graduation freebies are local promotions, so checking restaurant apps, Facebook pages, or calling ahead can pay off.
Some grads are also mailing graduation announcements to popular brands and getting free merch, coupons, or gift cards back.
Youve put in the hard work and made it to graduation day.
Congrats!
Now its time to go get some free food and even some free merchandise from many popular brands.
From free doughnuts, to free swag, to free buffet meals, here are some of the best grad deals happening right now.
Krispy Kreme
Only on May 21, grads wearing a cap, gown, or any Class of 2026 gear can score a free three-pack of original glazed doughnuts, with no purchase necessary.
May 21seems to be the day of consensus, but it appears some locations are running the promotion on different days in May, so calling ahead is smart before driving over.
Golden Corral
Some participating locations are offering graduates a free buffet meal and beverage when they show up in cap and gown on graduation night.
Keep in mind that the offer does vary by franchise, so its best to ask at your local Golden Corral what theyre offering. The offer is valid through June 30,which is generous.
Pro tip: Ive noticed that smaller-town Golden Corral locations often participate more aggressively in local graduation promotions than busy metro stores.
Pluckers Wing Bar
Graduates can get a free meal with the purchase of an adult entree on graduation day withproof of graduation. Accepted proof may include a diploma, graduation program, or a Student ID.
TGI Fridays
Graduates can receive a free appetizer or dessert with an entree purchase through mid-June witha student ID.
This is one of the longer-running graduation offers available right now.
Brio Italian Grille
If youre hosting a grad party, you might want to consider Brio as you can score a free tray of cannoli when placing a catering order of $100 or more. Just place your order online and use promo code GRAD2026 during checkout. The offer expires on June 30.
This works especially well for larger family gatherings where catering costs can get expensive quickly. You get a free dessert which is pretty sweet.
Buca di Beppo
Graduates dining-in at Buca di Beppo can get a free cannoli during graduation celebrations.
Catering customers spending at least $100 can also receive a half tray of cannoli for parties and family gatherings.
Chick-fil-A
Several locations around the country are offering graduates free chicken sandwiches, nuggets, or meals withgraduation gear or proof of graduation.
For example:
One location is offering grads a free Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich for wearing cap and gown.
Another offered a free meal for graduating seniors with proof of graduation.
Some locations are giving away free nuggets instead.
Many local franchises are offering cool grad promotions, so your best bet is to check your local Chick-fil-as Facebook page, as most are promoting there.
Many brands will mail grads something, too
One trend getting a lot of attention right now is grads mailing graduation announcements to brands and companies. Surprisingly, many have actually responded with some pretty cool free stuff.
Graduates have reported hearing back from companies with things like gift cards, coupons, stickers, cool merch, free food vouchers, and even small gifts.
Here are the main brands that grads have been writing toand getting Congratulations Graduate! gifts:
Lego:Small random Lego set and a congrats card.
Chick-fil-A:Theyll often send you a plush cow, branded hat, and even a possible sweatshirt.
Raising Cane's:Branded hat, congrats card, and even the occasional gift card.
SunBum:Sunscreen, lip balm, stickers, and sometimes branded merchandise.
Crumbl Cookies:Gift card, stickers, and a hand-written note.
Takis:Congrats letter, bag of their new chips, and even some branded swag.
There is obviously no guarantee companies will respond, but many grads are trying it because it costs almost nothing besides postage and a little effort. Just do a quick Google search for their corporate address (or PR department), and mail them one of your graduation cards.
Pro tip: The grads getting the best responses usually include a short personal note instead of simply asking for free stuff. Its no surprise that funny or heartfelt messages tend to stand out more than generic graduation announcements.
Related Bing News Results Consumer Reports' top-rated place to buy appliances isn't Lowe's or Home Depot Mon, 18 May 2026 03:00:00 GMT Home Depot and Lowe's may come to mind when you start shopping for appliances. However, this retailer is ranked higher by Consumer Reports in some key areas. Ready to try digital minimalism? | Consumer Reports Wed, 13 May 2026 14:24:00 GMT A recent survey found Americans check their phones nearly 200 times a day on average and spend more than four hours daily on them. This Instant Coffee Delivers the Most Caffeine, According to Consumer Reports Tue, 05 May 2026 03:19:00 GMT In lab tests, some coffees topped 400 milligrams of caffeine in a 24-ounce cup — more than the FDA recommends for an entire day. Consumer Reports: Simple steps to help slash daily screen time Fri, 24 Apr 2026 01:25:00 GMT Most of us know that too much scrolling on our phones isn’t great for our mental health. And now, a new approach to dialing down the digital noise is ironically trending on social media—of all places. Consumer Reports retests protein powders, finds safer options Wed, 18 Feb 2026 17:22:00 GMT USES THESE SUPPLEMENTS. HERE’S MARISSA TANSINO. LAST FALL, CONSUMER REPORTS TESTED DOZENS OF PROTEIN POWDERS AND READY TO DRINK SHAKES. WHAT THE LAB FOUND RAISED RED FLAGS MORE THAN TWO THIRDS ...
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