Consumer inflation rises sharply again as 12-month rate hits one-year high, CPI shows - MarketWatch

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Consumers are paying more for gas, rent and health care, but inflation is still fairly low.

The numbers: U.S. households paid more for energy, health care and rent in November, pushing the rate of inflation up to the highest level in a year.

The consumer price index rose 0.3% last month following an even bigger increase in October, the government said Wednesday. Economists polled by MarketWatch had forecast a 0.2% advance.

The recent spike lifted the increase in the cost of living over the past 12 months to 2.1% from 1.8%. That’s the highest level since November 2018.

Yet even though consumer prices have been bubbling up, inflation in the U.S. is still low by historical standards.

What happened: Gasoline prices actually fell in November, but not as much as they normally do at this time of year. As a result, the government’s seasonal adjustments showed a 1.1% increase.

The cost of rent and medical care both increased again, up 0.3% each. Prices also rose slightly for food, clothes, education and used vehicles.

Prices for new cars and trucks fell for the fifth month in a row. Airfares also declined.

Meanwhile, another closely watched measure of inflation that strips out food and energy rose 0.2% last month. The yearly increase in the so-called core rate was unchanged at 2.3%.

Real or inflation-adjusted hourly wages were flat in November. They’ve risen a modest 1.1% in the past year.

Big picture: The pace of consumer inflation slowed earlier this year after touching a six-year peak of 2.9% in mid-2018, giving the Federal Reserve the leeway to cut interest rates to shore up the economy amid a tense trade dispute with China.

Consumer prices could continue to creep higher if the economy speeds up, but the Fed doesn’t expect inflation to sharply exceed its 2% goal anytime soon.

The Fed’s preferred inflation gauge known as the PCE is also significantly weaker. The PCE index rose just 1.3% in the 12 months ended in October.

Even if prices rise faster than expected, the central bank is prepared to let inflation hover above 2% for a while after years of undershooting its target. The Fed is expected to leave interest rates unchanged on Wednesday after its latest meeting to evaluate the economy.

Market reaction: The Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA, -0.10% and S&P 500 SPX, -0.11% were set to open with little movement in Wednesday trades. Investors are watching closely to see if the U.S. and China complete what they are calling “phase one” of a broader trade compromise.

The 10-year Treasury yield TMUBMUSD10Y, -0.51% slipped to 1.82%.

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2019-12-11 13:32:00Z
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