There are growing concerns about the stickiness of inflation and fears that the Federal Reserve may have to keep interest rates restrictively high for longer.

U.S. producer prices rose less than expected in December as higher costs for goods were partially offset by stable services prices, suggesting inflation remained on a downward trend after progress had stalled in recent months.

Wholesale prices rose a seasonally adjusted 0.2% in December, half of what Wall Street forecasters believe would jump while the rate for the core producer price index over the same period remained flat,