USA: Core Consumer Price Inch Higher.

Core consumer prices in the United States, which exclude food and energy, rose by 0.2% from the previous month in March of 2026, maintaining the growth rate from February and slightly below market expectations of a sharper 0.3% increase. Costs rose firmly for transportation services (0.6%), lifted by the indirect impact from higher energy prices after the outbreak of war in the Middle East prevented tanker flows from the Strait of Hormuz. In the meantime, prices also rose firmly for shelter (0.3%), the most so far this year, and apparel (1%). In turn, prices rose less for new vehicles (0.1%) and fell sharply for used cars and trucks (-0.4%). From the previous year, core consumer prices rose by 2.6%.