Falling gas prices kept inflation in check following a 0.3% gain in April. “Adding to the good inflation news, core services inflation (excludes energy services) printed its mildest monthly increase since September 2021,” Kathy Bostjancic, Nationwide’s chief economist, wrote in a note issued Wednesday. On an annual basis, shelter inflation slowed a tenth of a percentage point to 5.4%, which is its lowest rate since April 2022. Still, those costs continue to run hot for consumers, with transportation services prices up 10.5% from a year ago and car insurance up 20.3%. Soft CPI boosts chances for Fed cutsThe CPI, which tracks average change in prices for a basket of goods and services common to consumers, is the most widely cited inflation metric.

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Persons: ” Philip T, Powell, They’re, ” Kathy Bostjancic, Indiana University’s Powell, it’s, ” Sean Snaith, ” Preston Caldwell, Tool, “, ” Scott Anderson Organizations: CNN, Inflation, Federal, Bureau of Labor Statistics ’, Indiana Business Research Center, Indiana University Kelley School of Business, Federal Reserve, CPI, Transportation, University of Central, Soft, Fed, Morningstar, BMO Bank Locations: “, Indiana, University of Central Florida