U.S. CONSUMER PRICES ROSE 2.4% IN MARCH

U.S. consumer prices rose 2.4% in March from a year earlier, the fastest annual pace in 12 months. On a monthly basis, the consumer price index dipped 0.1%. Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, core prices ticked up 0.2% in March and 2.1% from a year ago. That was the biggest annual increase for core prices since February 2017.