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Instant View: February Inflation in Line with Expectations as Iran War Overshadows Last Month's Data
Core inflation rose 0.2% in February, keeping the rate above the Federal Reserve's 2% target despite modest shelter cost increases, BLS data shows.
- On March 11, 2026, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported U.S. consumer prices rose 2.4% year‑over‑year in February and increased 0.3% from last month.
- Higher food and energy costs contributed, with the food index up 0.4%, food at home rising 0.8%, and the energy index for fuel jumping 11% month-to-month while core inflation stayed above the Federal Reserve's 2% target.
- Stocks reacted as the Dow fell 1%, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq dropped 0.5% and 0.3%, the dollar index rose 0.4%, and Mark Zandi said, 'I don't get any sense that inflation is decelerating'.
- Policymakers face a split over keeping rates near 3.6%, with Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's, saying 'I think the Fed sits on its hands and doesn't move', as rising prices may slow U.S. consumers' spending.
- Because the report was compiled before U.S. and Israel strikes on Iran, Moody's warns energy shocks are not reflected, and CPI may be nearer to 2.7%.
16 Articles
16 Articles
USA & Canada Intelligence Brief — March 11, 2026
What Matters Today 1 US February CPI holds at 2.4% — in line with expectations; core steady at 2.5%; but analysts call it “the calm before the storm” as Iran war oil shock has not yet hit the data; Fed expected to hold through September — the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Wednesday that the […]
Consumer prices in the United States, as measured by the CPI index, rose 2.4 percent year-on-year in February, the same as in January. The annual inflation rate is thus in line with analysts' expectations, reports the French news agency AFP. It is also the lowest level since May last year.
Inflation Stable in February, Matching Expectations, New CPI Report Shows
Inflation Stable in February, Matching Expectations, New CPI Report Shows Inflation held steady and mirrored analysts’ expectations in February, Consumer Price Index (CPI) data released Wednesday show. The month’s CPI results were largely in line with analysts’ expectations. February’s CPI rose a seasonally-adjusted 0.3% from January and an unadjusted 2.4% from 12 months earlier. Meanwhile, the “core” CPI, which excludes the volatile food and e…
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