Traders and analysts face a dense slate of data on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, with the headline items being the Producer Price Index (PPI) and the U.S. Energy Information Administration's (EIA) weekly crude oil inventories. Both releases are widely watched for the signals they send about inflation dynamics and energy market conditions, and they arrive alongside a set of other scheduled reports and policy-relevant events that could move prices across equities, fixed income and commodity markets.
What is coming
The day opens with the PPI and its core measure at 7:30 AM ET. The headline Producer Price Index is expected to register a 0.5% month-over-month gain, matching the prior monthly reading of 0.5%. Core PPI - which omits the more volatile categories of food and energy to try to reveal underlying producer inflation - is forecast at 0.3%, up from the previous 0.1%.
At 9:30 AM ET, the EIA's weekly crude oil inventory report is due. Analysts expect a draw of 1.600 million barrels, following a prior decline of 2.313 million barrels. That weekly snapshot of commercial crude held by U.S. firms is routinely scanned for clues about near-term supply and demand trends in petroleum markets and for potential implications for fuel prices and inflation expectations.
Major economic events to watch
- 7:30 AM ET - PPI: Expected 0.5%, previous 0.5%. The PPI measures month-over-month changes in prices received by domestic producers and serves as a leading indicator for consumer price movements.
- 7:30 AM ET - Core PPI: Expected 0.3%, previous 0.1%. Core PPI excludes food and energy to offer a clearer view of underlying inflation pressures at the producer level.
- 9:30 AM ET - EIA Crude Oil Inventories: Expected -1.600M, previous -2.313M. This weekly report tracks changes in commercial crude oil barrels held by U.S. firms, influencing petroleum prices and inflation expectations.
Additional scheduled items of note
Wednesday's information flow also includes monthly assessments of the global oil market, domestic inventory sub-reports tied to key storage hubs and a benchmark Treasury auction. Below is a list of other important releases and scheduled events that market participants have penciled into the trading day.
- 4:00 AM ET - IEA Monthly Report: The International Energy Agency will publish its monthly analysis of global oil market trends, covering demand, supply and near-term outlook for crude developments.
- 5:00 AM ET - OPEC Monthly Report: OPEC's monthly study will outline its assessment of developments affecting global oil demand, supply and the overall market balance.
- 9:30 AM ET - EIA Weekly Cushing Oil Inventories: Previous -0.648M. This series reports crude oil storage changes at Cushing, Oklahoma, the delivery point for the West Texas Intermediate benchmark.
- 12:00 PM ET - 30-Year Bond Auction: Previous yield 4.876%. The auction yield reflects investor demand for longer-dated U.S. government debt and is a barometer for long-term borrowing costs.
- 12:15 PM ET - FOMC Member Kashkari Speaks: Remarks from the President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis may contain language that markets interpret as guidance about future monetary policy.
Other scheduled economic indicators
Several weekly housing and fuel-related series are also on the calendar for the morning, offering granular views of mortgage activity and various petroleum product balances. The listed prior readings are shown where available.
- 6:00 AM ET - MBA Mortgage Applications: Previous -4.4%.
- 6:00 AM ET - MBA 30-Year Mortgage Rate: Previous 6.45%.
- 6:00 AM ET - MBA Purchase Index: Previous 171.1.
- 6:00 AM ET - Mortgage Market Index: Previous 285.3.
- 6:00 AM ET - Mortgage Refinance Index: Previous 928.6.
- 7:30 AM ET - PPI ex. Food/Energy/Trade: Previous 0.2%.
- 7:30 AM ET - Core PPI (year-over-year): Expected 4.3%, previous 3.8%.
- 7:30 AM ET - PPI ex. Food/Energy/Trade (year-over-year): Previous 3.6%.
- 7:30 AM ET - PPI (year-over-year): Expected 4.9%, previous 4.0%.
- 9:30 AM ET - EIA Weekly Crude Imports: Previous 1.415M.
- 9:30 AM ET - Gasoline Inventories: Previous -2.504M.
- 9:30 AM ET - EIA Weekly Gasoline Production: Previous -0.275M.
- 9:30 AM ET - EIA Weekly Distillates Stocks: Previous -1.294M.
- 9:30 AM ET - EIA Weekly Heatoil Stock: Previous -0.038M.
- 9:30 AM ET - EIA Weekly Distillate Fuel Production: Previous -0.024M.
- 9:30 AM ET - EIA Refinery Crude Runs: Previous -0.042M.
- 9:30 AM ET - EIA Weekly Refinery Utilization Rates: Previous 0.5%.
- 10:00 AM ET - Cleveland CPI: Previous 0.2%.
- 10:00 AM ET - Thomson Reuters IPSOS PCSI: Previous 49.95.
- 10:30 AM ET - Fed Collins Speaks: Remarks from another Federal Reserve official that markets may watch for cues on policy considerations.
Why these releases matter
The PPI series provides a measure of price changes received by producers and is frequently monitored as a leading indicator for consumer inflation. Core versions of producer price measures strip out food and energy to try to expose persistent price pressures, which can inform expectations about future monetary policy moves.
Weekly EIA crude and product inventories, along with the IEA and OPEC monthly reports, offer ongoing updates on the physical balance in oil markets — supply, demand and stock movements. Shifts in these figures can feed into petroleum price moves and may, in turn, influence broader inflation readings. The 30-year Treasury auction and Federal Reserve speeches scheduled for the day add another layer of potential volatility by affecting yields and market expectations about interest rates.
Market participants navigating the session will be digesting these varied inputs to update inflation forecasts, energy price outlooks and borrowing-cost expectations as the data and commentary arrive.