Producer prices increased for the second consecutive month in July, driven by higher prices for agricultural products due to heat waves and heavy rains. 
 
The Bank of Korea said Thursday that the producer price index for all commodities and services posted 120-point-two in July, up zero-point-four percent from the previous month.

It marks the second straight month of growth as the index, a key indicator of future inflation, gained one-tenth of a percent in June, posting on-month growth for the first time in four months.

The prices of agricultural, forestry and fishery products jumped five-point-six percent in July from a month earlier to post the largest gain since August 2023, with spinach and napa cabbage prices surging 171 percent and 51 percent, respectively. 

Prices of industrial goods gained zero-point-two percent, as the prices of coal and petroleum products rose two-point-two percent. 

Gas, water and electricity prices dropped one-point-one percent.