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.
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The federal government says it will begin a targeted crackdown on nursing homes’ abuse of antipsychotic drugs and misdiagnoses of schizophrenia in patients.
Spotify became the latest tech company to call on the European Union to take action against Apple over anti-competitive practices.
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Amazon has begun cutting about 18,000 workers this week, affecting largely Amazon stores and some in the technology unit.
Microsoft is laying off 10,000 employees, becoming the latest tech giant to cut its workforce.
Darren Jones, President, UPS Central Plains, joins Cheddar News to discuss UPS's first-ever jobs and opportunity report while offering advice to job-seekers amid widespread layoffs and economic uncertainty.
Clare Trapasso, the executive news editor at Realtor.com, joined Cheddar News to discuss the current housing market for first-time homebuyers.
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned that the U.S. will reach its $31.4 trillion borrowing cap on Thursday.
