Inflation | featured news

U.S. consumer prices were flat last month, the latest sign inflation is in check. That could give the Federal Reserve leeway to continue its efforts to stimulate growth. The Labor Department says the consumer price index has risen 1.6 percent in the 12 months ending in January. That's down from a 2.9 percent pace a year ago.

Some popular items will cost more in 2013, while price tags on other items will be lower. TODAY financial editor Jean Chatzky, working off a list supplied by content partner Dealnews, breaks down the numbers.

U.S. consumer prices fell in November for the first time in six months, pointing to muted inflation pressures that should allow the Federal Reserve to stay on its ultra-easy monetary policy path as it nurses the economy back to health.

Rising food costs and higher rents offset a drop in gas prices last month, leaving consumer prices only slightly higher in October compared with the previous month.

Inflation has been running under 2 percent, yet an NBC News exit poll shows that 37% of voters say rising prices are their biggest problem, only slightly less than unemployment.

Consumers will have to dig deeper into their pockets next year to pay for costlier healthcare, more expensive grocery bills and higher taxes, an extra drag on the country's already slow-moving economy.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The economy came under pressure from abroad in September as weak global demand appeared to hold back factory output and a surge in gasoline prices dented consumers' spending power, data showed on Tuesday.

A second month of sharp gains in gasoline costs drove wholesale prices higher in September. But outside of the surge in energy, prices were well contained.

Producer prices rose by the most in three years in August as energy costs surged, but underlying inflation pressures remained contained, keeping the door open to a further easing of monetary policy.

Compensation for workers in the Washington region rose 2.1 percent in 2012 after remaining virtually flat the previous year, a new survey shows. The median salary increase was the largest the area has seen since 2010, according to data compiled by consulting firm Akron on behalf of the Human Resource Association of the National Capital Area, but still fell short of the region’s 3.2 rate of inflation in 2011.