Businesses are charging each other higher prices, a warning sign for consumers

Fresh inflation data suggests businesses have begun to raise the prices they charge each other for goods and services, a sign they are looking to preserve their profit margins in the face of President Donald Trump’s tariffs — with consumers potentially footing the bill. The Bureau of Labor Statistics said Thursday that wholesale inflation surged in July, with the increases led by a category called trade services. Those reflect how much more wholesalers charge above initial costs to maintain or even increase their earnings rate. The category increased 6.9% on the year in July, the largest gain since M