MNI BRIEF: US PCE Inflation Tad Below Expectations; Core 0.13%
MNI (WASHINGTON) - The Federal Reserve's preferred measure of inflation, the personal consumption expenditure price index, slowed to 2.2% in August, and core inflation rounded up to 2.7% but was little changed from the previous three months, the Bureau of Economic Analysis said Friday. Over the month, headline inflation came in at 0.091% and core 0.130%, slightly below analysts expectations for a 0.16% rise in core prices.
Spending quieted to a 0.2% rise from 0.5% in the previous month and personal income increased 0.2% in August, slowing from a 0.3% increase in the two previous months.
The data offer more evidence inflation has been tamed as the Fed pivots to heading off any further deterioration in the job market. (See: MNI INTERVIEW: Fed Rates Headed To 4% In Quick Order - Bullard)