CPI Up 0.6%

Washington, DC, April 18, 2007--The Consumer Price Index rose 0.6 percent in March, according to a Labor Department report. The index was up 0.4 percent in February.

The jump in March was the largest monthly increase since last April.

The core index, which excludes food and energy increased only 0.1 percent during the month following increases of 0.2 percent in February and 0.3 percent in January.

Economists were looking for an increase if 0.6 percent in the overall index and a increase of 0.2 percent in the core index.