December PCE: Core Inflation Dropped More Than Expected

December’s core personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index, the Federal Reserve’s favored measure of inflation, indicated a significant easing of price pressures. The index, which excludes the often fluctuating costs of food and energy, showed a slower year-over-year increase of 2.9% in December, as reported by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. This slowdown in core inflation, a key indicator of the economy’s health, surpassed expectations and signals a notable shift in the inflationary trend as the year concluded.