A report Wednesday afternoon from the Federal Reserve added anecdotal evidence to the morning’s data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showing consumer prices rose unexpectedly fast in September. The ‘Beige Book’ report, a compilation of anecdotes from the central bank’s district offices around the country, showed that no part of the nation is unaffected by rising fuel costs.
“Higher oil prices permeated all District reports,” the authors of the Beige Book said. “Firms reported elevated diesel prices and noted that fuel surcharges were passing on increased costs throughout the supply chain.”