Consumer Prices Remain Tame

Washington, DC, April 14, 2010--U.S. consumer prices rose 0.1% in March due mainly to an increase in prices for fresh fruits and vegetables, the Labor Department said.

The overall gain matched expectations of economists. The core CPI, which excludes food and energy prices, was unchanged in March, while analysts had expected a 0.1% gain.

Energy prices were unchanged in March. In the past year, the CPI has risen 2.3%. The core rate is up 1.1% in the past year, the smallest gain since early 2004. The last time the year-over-year core increase was smaller was in January 1966. Shelter prices were down 0.1% last month.