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.  

Share:
More In Business
Target on the Defensive After Removing LGBTQ+-Themed Products
Target once distinguished itself as being boldly supportive of the LGBTQ+ community. Now that status is tarnished after it removed some LGBTQ+-themed products and relocated Pride Month displays to the back of stores in certain Southern locations in response to online complaints and in-store confrontations that it says threatened employees’ well-being.
Load More