REGION

REGION
UCFC 1st-quarter earningsincrease over a year ago
YOUNGSTOWN -- United Community Financial Corp. earned $5.5 million, or 18 cents a share, in the first quarter, compared with $5 million, or 16 cents a share, in the same quarter of 2003.
UCFC said net interest income was down $500,000 to $18 million, but noninterest income increased $2.3 million to $10.3 million. It said noninterest income increased primarily from a $1.1 million rise in service fees and other charges and a $1.5 million increase in commissions in its stock brokerage business.
Youngstown-based UCFC is the parent company of Home Savings & amp; Loan Co. and Butler Wick Corp.
NATION
Consumer-price increaseraises inflation concerns
WASHINGTON -- Rising prices for gasoline, air travel and clothing propelled consumer costs 0.5 percent higher in March, raising the possibility that the Federal Reserve may raise interest rates this summer.
Wednesday's reading on the Consumer Price Index revived concerns about the prospects of an inflation flare-up, economists said.
Especially jolting was the 0.4 percent increase in core consumer prices, excluding energy and food costs.
For the first three months of this year, consumer prices increased at an annual rate of 5.1 percent, compared with a 1.9 percent increase for all of 2003.
From Vindicator staff and wire reports