Core US inflation numbers released this week showed prices climbing at a gentle pace in July, a signal that could take some pressure off the Federal Reserve as it weighs its next move on interest rates. The core consumer price index, which strips out food and energy costs because they tend to swing wildly, ticked up just 0.2% compared to the previous month. Looked at over a full year, prices in this category rose 2.5%. That annual figure ties the slowest pace of core inflation seen since March 2021, according to data published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
