Wholesale prices for finished goods have risen 2.8 percent since June last year, according to figures released this morning by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The increase in the Producer Price Index for Finished Goods (PPI-FG) actually represents a fourth consecutive month in which the rate of price inflation has slowed. In March, the year-over-year increase in PPI-FG peaked at 6.0 percent, and was followed in April and May with increases of 5.5 and 5.3 percent, respectively.

After Tuesday's losses in the U.S. crude oil market, bullish sentiment was bolstered by a key industry report about the supply of Texas Tea. Overnight trade in WTI crude was buoyed by the American Petroleum Institute's estimates that indicated crude inventories falling much more than analysts' expectations.

Is an inflationary breakout in the cards, or a deflationary breakdown? We run the numbers to make the call.

National Bank Financial's director of derivatives shares his outlook on the ETF landscape north of the border.

Sometimes readers wonder why so much attention is paid to the weekly oil inventory numbers published by the U.S. Energy Department's statistical service. Truth be told, a lot of trader breath is held awaiting each Wednesday morning release by the Energy Information Administration.

There's no need to wait for the June 17 release of U.S. Consumer Price Index data. The long-feared double-dip recession is here. At least as measured by the HAI Monetary Inflation Index.