The U.S. annual core inflation rate, which excludes food and energy, edged up to 2.6% in March 2026 from 2.5% in each of the previous two months, coming in just below market expectations of 2.7%.
Price pressures remained elevated in services excluding energy, where inflation stood at 3.0%. Within this category, shelter costs increased 3.0%, transportation services rose 4.1%, and medical care services were up 3.7%.
Inflation for core commodities (excluding food and energy) was also 2.6%. A 3.4% rise in apparel prices more than offset a 3.2% decline in prices for used cars and trucks.
