December Consumer Prices Rise Unexpectedly, Surpassing Forecasts

The U.S. Labor Department reported a higher-than-anticipated rise in consumer prices for December, indicating persistent inflationary pressures in the economy. The consumer price index (CPI) saw a 0.3% increase in December, surpassing the 0.2% estimate expected by many economists and policymakers. This rise pushed the annual CPI rate for 2023 to 3.4%, exceeding the Dow Jones surveyed economists’ forecast of 3.2%. This figure represents a notable decrease from the 6.4% annual CPI gain recorded in December 2022, yet suggests that inflation remains a concern.