Consumer prices slipped 0.1 percent in May

Associated Press

WASHINGTON

Consumer prices declined in May, reflecting a big drop in energy prices and smaller declines in a number of other areas. It was the second-monthly decline in the past three months and underscores how inflation has been a no-show in the slow-growing U.S. economy.

Consumer prices edged down 0.1 percent last month following a small 0.2 percent increase in April, the Labor Department reported Wednesday.

Prices had fallen 0.3 percent in March. In addition to a drop in energy costs last month, the price of clothing, airline fares and medical care also declined.

Core inflation, which excludes energy and food, rose a slight 0.1 percent in May.

The Federal Reserve boosted a key interest rate later Wednesday. But some economists suggested that the unexpected slowdown in inflation in recent months may cause the Fed to slow the pace of further rate hikes.

“From out of nowhere we have now had three months of unusual weakness in underlying prices,” said Paul Ashworth, chief economist at Capital Economics.

He said the inflation slowdown was occurring at the same time that the unemployment rate has fallen to a 16-year low.

Over the past 12 months, consumer prices are up 1.9 percent while core inflation has risen 1.7 percent.