The Fed's Beige Book is Mentioning Diesel a Lot More Than Before. What That Could Mean for Consumer Prices.

Source: International Business Times

The jump in mentions in the Beige Book points to growing concern among businesses about an expense that can reach consumers through shipping charges and higher product prices. Annabelle Gordon/AFP via Getty Images Americans watching gasoline prices for signs of inflation may be underestimating the cost of the diesel used to fuel broader parts of the economy, including the transport of merchandise, operation of farm equipment, and delivery of supplies to businesses. The Federal Reserve's October Beige Book contained 21 references to high diesel costs, compared with just two in the previous edition.