#CPI Data Drops Inflation rate eases to 2.4% in March, lower Excluding food and energy, so-called core inflation ran at a 2.8% annual rate, having increased 0.1% for the month. That was the lowest rate for core inflation since March 2021.

Wall Street had been looking for headline inflation of 2.6% and core at 3%, according to the Dow Jones consensus. expected; core at 4-year lowSlumping energy prices helped keep inflation tame, as a 6.3% drop in gasoline prices helped drive a 2.4% broader decline in the energy index. Food prices climbed 0.4% on the month. Egg prices rose another 5.9% and were up 60.4% from a year ago.