US consumer price increases eased slightly from January to February but still pointed to an elevated inflation rate.
The government said Tuesday that prices increased 0.4% last month, just below January's 0.5% rise. Yet excluding volatile food and energy costs, so-called core prices rose 0.5% in February, slightly above January's 0.4% gain. The Fed pays particular attention to the core measure as a gauge of underlying inflation pressures.
When measured against prices a year ago, inflation has been easing for eight months. In February, consumer prices climbed 6% from 12 months earlier, down from January's 6.4% year-over-year increase and well below a recent peak of 9.1% in June. Yet it remains far above the Fed's 2% annual inflation target. Core prices in February rose 5.5% from 12 months ago, down slightly from 5.6% in January.
Jan Hatzius, chief economist at Goldman Sachs, said Goldman now thinks the Fed's policymakers will pause their rate increases next week. Goldman had previously predicted a quarter-point hike. In a note to clients, Hatzius noted that the Fed, for now, appears even more focused on calming the banking sector and the financial markets than on fighting inflation.
The possibility of a Fed pause underscores the sharp shift in the nation's financial system and economy in barely one week. Last Tuesday, Powell had told the Senate Banking Committee that if hiring and inflation continued to run hot, the Fed would likely raise rates at this month's meeting by a sizeable half-point.
日本 最新ニュース, 日本 見出し
Similar News:他のニュース ソースから収集した、これに似たニュース記事を読むこともできます。
Inflation rose 6% in February as Fed mulls more rate hikes amid bank chaosTurmoil in the banking sector raised questions about the Fed’s next move to combat inflation.
続きを読む »
U.S. Inflation Cooled in February as Fed Confronts Bank FailuresBreaking: Inflation was lower at 6.0% in February as the Federal Reserve faces dual threats of rising prices and financial instability
続きを読む »
US inflation eased in February but remains high, putting Fed in tough spotEven though prices are rising much faster than the Fed wants, some economists expect the central bank to suspend its year-long streak of interest rate hikes when it meets next week.
続きを読む »
US inflation eased in February but remains high, putting Fed in tough spotEven though prices are rising much faster than the Fed wants, some economists expect the central bank to suspend its year-long streak of interest rate hikes when it meets next week.
続きを読む »
NY Fed: Year-ahead expected inflation drops to 4.2% in Febuary from 5% in JanuaryThe Federal Reserve Bank of New York's monthly Survey of Consumer Expectations showed on Monday that the US consumers' one-year inflation expectation
続きを読む »
Inflation cooled to 6% in February as the Federal Reserve weighs next steps on interest ratesPrices rose 0.4% last month from January, slightly lower than the prior monthly increase, as investors assess how the Fed may respond to the twin challenges of inflation and unrest in the banking sector when it meets next week.
続きを読む »