U.S. wholesale prices fell in November for the third consecutive month, pushed lower again by cheaper gasoline and home heating oil. But excluding volatile energy costs, inflationary pressures were stable, the government reported Friday. The Labor Department said its producer price index (PPI), which measures price changes before they reach the consumer, declined 0.1 percent last month, following similar decreases in October and September. Wholesale prices have risen only 0.7 percent in the past 12 months. Gasoline prices fell 0.7 percent last month, and home heating oil prices plunged 5.7 percent. The cost of new cars also declined, dropping 0.8 percent. In November, core PPI, which excludes energy and food prices, rose 0.1 percent, and the category has risen 1.3 percent over the past 12 months. Both PPI and core PPI are running far below the Federal Reserve's (Fed's) 2 percent target. More broadly, both consumer and wholesale inflation have been running extremely low in the past year. High unemployment and weak wage increases have made it difficult for businesses to increase prices. Consumers are benefiting from cheaper prices, particularly for gasoline. The average national price for a gallon (3.8 liters) was $3.25 on Friday, down sharply from a year ago.