Labor & Logistics Indicators · September 2026 · Retrospective

September 2026 Report: Pressure Index 126.6 for July

Retrospective edition. Compiled from public data as currently revised, to extend the Pressure Index record back before the series launched in October 2026. It was not published in September 2026, and figures may differ from what was first released at the time. For current analysis, read the November 2026 issue.

The Productiv Labor & Logistics Pressure Index

July 2026 (final)

126.6

−10.8 pts m/m · +14.0 pts y/y

Labor
105.0
Freight
122.3
Capital & Inputs
141.7

How to read it: 100 = the 2015–2019 average; every 10 points is one normal-year swing; higher = more cost and labor pressure.

Line chart of the Productiv Labor & Logistics Pressure Index from November 2010 to July 2026 with its Labor, Freight and Capital & Inputs pillars against a baseline of 100. The composite is 126.6 in July 2026; Labor 105.0, Freight 122.3, Capital & Inputs 141.7.
Pressure Index: 126.6 in July 2026. Productiv Labor & Logistics Pressure Index, monthly, Nov. 2010 – July 2026 (100 = 2015–2019 average). Source: Productiv calculations from BLS (CES, JOLTS, PPI), EIA diesel and the Federal Reserve 10-year Treasury (DGS10), via FRED; final months only, as currently revised.
Chart data (table)
Productiv Labor & Logistics Pressure Index and pillars, last 24 final months (100 = 2015–2019 average)
MonthIndexLaborFreightCapital & Inputs
Aug. 2024111.9112.897.4123.8
Sept. 2024104.7105.986.2122.0
Oct. 2024107.7113.181.1129.5
Nov. 2024109.3120.376.3133.0
Dec. 2024114.4113.791.5135.6
Jan. 2025118.5114.599.3137.4
Feb. 2025116.7113.197.3135.9
March 2025109.1100.190.9133.1
April 2025110.398.897.6130.1
May 2025112.1105.194.6133.3
June 2025113.4119.988.2131.6
July 2025112.5106.992.6134.8
Aug. 2025115.5107.4103.2131.1
Sept. 2025119.0109.9110.5130.6
Oct. 2025122.4118.5114.0129.0
Nov. 2025126.9118.2123.8130.7
Dec. 2025119.3115.4106.7131.1
Jan. 2026115.7114.297.9131.8
Feb. 2026118.5118.0102.0131.9
March 2026130.6116.7128.2137.0
April 2026132.8110.5132.0143.4
May 2026136.0118.4132.1145.5
June 2026137.4125.0131.7144.4
July 2026126.6105.0122.3141.7

Full monthly history since Nov. 2010, with each component's raw value, transform and z-score, is in the CSV.

Download CSV Data

How the index is built: components, weights, baseline and revision policy

July 2026 at a glance

  • The Productiv Labor & Logistics Pressure Index read 126.6 in July 2026, -10.8 points from the prior month and +14.0 from a year earlier. Labor 105.0, Freight 122.3, Capital & Inputs 141.7.
  • Transportation and warehousing average hourly earnings were up 3.4% from a year earlier, against CPI inflation of 3.4% (BLS).
  • Diesel averaged $4.96/gal, up 31.1% from a year earlier (EIA), and long-distance truckload producer prices were up 12.0% (BLS).
  • Producer prices for final demand were up 4.9% year over year (BLS), and the 10-year Treasury averaged 4.60% (Federal Reserve).

The index inputs

Pay and inflation (Labor), fuel and truckload prices (Freight), and producer prices and the 10-year Treasury (Capital & Inputs), through July 2026.

Line chart of transportation and warehousing average hourly earnings growth and CPI inflation, Aug. 2024 – July 2026; in July 2026 pay was 3.4% and CPI 3.4%.
Pay vs. inflation. % change from 12 months earlier, Aug. 2024 – July 2026. Source: BLS CES (CES4300000003) and CPI (CPIAUCNS), via FRED; as currently revised.
Chart data (table)
Average hourly earnings (transportation & warehousing) vs. CPI, % change from 12 months earlier
MonthAvg. hourly earningsCPI headline
Aug. 20244.2%2.5%
Sept. 20243.8%2.4%
Oct. 20243.4%2.6%
Nov. 20243.3%2.7%
Dec. 20242.6%2.9%
Jan. 20252.3%3.0%
Feb. 20252.2%2.8%
March 20252.5%2.4%
April 20252.9%2.3%
May 20252.7%2.4%
June 20252.6%2.7%
July 20252.8%2.7%
Aug. 20253.0%2.9%
Sept. 20253.3%3.0%
Oct. 20253.6%n/a
Nov. 20253.9%2.7%
Dec. 20253.8%2.7%
Jan. 20263.9%2.4%
Feb. 20264.0%2.4%
March 20263.7%3.3%
April 20263.3%3.8%
May 20263.4%4.2%
June 20263.5%3.5%
July 20263.4%3.4%

October 2025 CPI was not collected during the federal shutdown, so October 2025 and October 2026 have no CPI change.

Download CSV Data
Line chart of diesel prices and long-distance truckload producer prices, % change from a year earlier, Aug. 2024 – July 2026; in July 2026 diesel averaged $4.96/gal (+31.1%) and truckload prices were +12.0%.
Diesel vs. truckload freight prices. % change from 12 months earlier, Aug. 2024 – July 2026. Source: EIA on-highway diesel (GASDESW, monthly average) and BLS PPI long-distance truckload (PCU484121484121), via FRED; as currently revised.
Chart data (table)
Diesel (monthly average) and long-distance truckload PPI
MonthDiesel ($/gal)Diesel y/yTruckload PPI y/y
Aug. 2024$3.70-15.3%+2.0%
Sept. 2024$3.56-22.0%-5.4%
Oct. 2024$3.59-20.4%-9.8%
Nov. 2024$3.52-17.2%-14.3%
Dec. 2024$3.49-12.0%-3.4%
Jan. 2025$3.63-5.7%+1.5%
Feb. 2025$3.67-9.1%+0.6%
March 2025$3.58-10.9%-4.0%
April 2025$3.57-10.9%+1.2%
May 2025$3.50-8.5%-1.7%
June 2025$3.60-3.3%-7.8%
July 2025$3.78-0.8%-4.8%
Aug. 2025$3.74+1.2%+3.2%
Sept. 2025$3.75+5.4%+8.1%
Oct. 2025$3.68+2.6%+11.4%
Nov. 2025$3.82+8.5%+17.9%
Dec. 2025$3.61+3.5%+5.5%
Jan. 2026$3.52-3.1%-0.2%
Feb. 2026$3.72+1.3%+2.2%
March 2026$4.92+37.3%+15.4%
April 2026$5.50+54.2%+14.8%
May 2026$5.60+60.0%+13.6%
June 2026$5.02+39.6%+17.6%
July 2026$4.96+31.1%+12.0%
Download CSV Data
Line chart of producer prices for final demand, % change from a year earlier, Aug. 2024 – July 2026; +4.9% in July 2026.
Producer prices, final demand. % change from 12 months earlier, seasonally adjusted, Aug. 2024 – July 2026. Source: BLS PPI final demand (PPIFIS), via FRED; as currently revised.
Chart data (table)
PPI final demand, % change from 12 months earlier (seasonally adjusted)
MonthPPI final demand
Aug. 2024+2.1%
Sept. 2024+2.1%
Oct. 2024+2.8%
Nov. 2024+2.9%
Dec. 2024+3.4%
Jan. 2025+3.8%
Feb. 2025+3.4%
March 2025+3.2%
April 2025+2.4%
May 2025+2.7%
June 2025+2.4%
July 2025+3.2%
Aug. 2025+2.7%
Sept. 2025+3.0%
Oct. 2025+2.8%
Nov. 2025+3.1%
Dec. 2025+3.1%
Jan. 2026+3.0%
Feb. 2026+3.4%
March 2026+4.3%
April 2026+5.7%
May 2026+5.9%
June 2026+5.6%
July 2026+4.9%
Download CSV Data
Line chart of the 10-year Treasury yield, monthly average, Aug. 2024 – July 2026; 4.60% in July 2026.
10-year Treasury yield. Percent, monthly average, Aug. 2024 – July 2026. Source: U.S. Treasury 10-year constant-maturity yield (DGS10), monthly average, via FRED.
Chart data (table)
10-year Treasury yield, monthly average, percent
Month10-year Treasury
Aug. 20243.87%
Sept. 20243.72%
Oct. 20244.10%
Nov. 20244.36%
Dec. 20244.39%
Jan. 20254.63%
Feb. 20254.45%
March 20254.28%
April 20254.28%
May 20254.42%
June 20254.38%
July 20254.39%
Aug. 20254.26%
Sept. 20254.12%
Oct. 20254.06%
Nov. 20254.09%
Dec. 20254.14%
Jan. 20264.21%
Feb. 20264.13%
March 20264.25%
April 20264.32%
May 20264.48%
June 20264.47%
July 20264.60%
Download CSV Data

Sources: BLS (CES, CPI, PPI, JOLTS), EIA and the Federal Reserve, via FRED. Each chart has its data table and a CSV; the index CSV holds the full history with every component. How the index is built: methodology. All issues: Labor & Logistics Indicators.

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