Surging inflation has eased in recent months, but more evidence is needed to show that price increases are coming down in the long term, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Wednesday. (Photo by Yuki IWAMURA / AFP) (Photo by YUKI IWAMURA/AFP via Getty Images)
Prices rose half a percent in January, according to the latest consumer price index. That is up from a 0.1 percent decline in December, and five times the 0.1 percent increase in November.
The monthly uptick was in line with expectation, though the year-over-year rate came in higher than expected 6.4 percent, a marginal drop from a 6.5 percent rate in December.
Shelter (i.e. housing) contributed the largest share to the monthly increase, rising 0.7 percent.
Energy costs were also up across the board. The price of piped gas shot up 6.7 percent, while energy overall was up 2 percent after two straight months of declines.
Food prices, meanwhile, were up 0.5 percent. That is up from 0.4 percent in December, but still low relative to the last six months.
Used car prices also continued their steady decline, dropping 1.7 percent month-over-month and 11.6 percent year-over-year.
Despite the month-over-month drop, the annual rate has slowed for seven straight months.
It's never too early to save for retirement but many people don't have access to an employer-sponsored plan. Pratik Patel, managing director and head of family wealth strategies for BMO Family Office, joined Cheddar News to discuss other options to ensure safe retirement.
Joe Mazzola, director of trading and education with Charles Schwab, joined Cheddar News to discuss Wednesday's trading session as markets closed mixed.
Summer camps across the country will open this month, but parents may experience some sticker shock. With the cost of goods and services rising, so is the price of camp. Cheddar’s Ashley Mastronardi spoke to experts who shed some light on how this will affect your wallet.
Living in New York City, working full time and without a car, Jessica Ray and her husband have come to rely on deliveries of food and just about everything else for their home. It has meant more free time on weekends with their young son, rather than standing in line for toilet paper or dragging heavy bags of dog food back to their apartment.
Cheddar News checks in to see what to look out for on The Day Ahead as Campbell Soup and Vera Bradley are due to report earnings while economic data, including the April trade deficit and consumer credit, are slated to be released. And Wednesday is World Food Safety Day.
