U.S. CONSUMER PRICES FALL AS GAS COSTS DROP

WASHINGTON —

A steep fall in gas costs pushed down a measure of U.S. consumer prices last month, keeping inflation mild. The seasonally adjusted consumer price index dropped 0.3 per cent in November from October, the Labor Department said Friday. Gas prices fell 7.4 per cent, the biggest drop in nearly four years. That offset a 0.2 per cent rise in food prices. In the past year, consumer prices have risen 1.8 per cent, down from October’s 12-month increase of 2.2 per cent. Excluding the volatile food and gas categories, prices ticked up 0.1 per cent in November.