June Consumer Price Index Rises 0.2%

The consumer price index rose 0.2% in June, the smallest gain in five months, the Labor Department said Wednesday.

The increase followed a 0.7% jump in May that was led by high fuel prices.

The core rate excluding food and energy also rose 0.2%, Labor said.

The overall CPI increase was higher than the 0.1% forecast by economists, Bloomberg reported.
 
The CPI is the government’s broadest gauge of costs for goods and services. Almost 60% of the CPI covers prices consumers pay for services.

If consumer prices are climbing, it could reflect an increase in demand for consumer goods, which increases the demand for trucking services.