inflation

Consumer prices jumped last month as businesses struggled to keep pace with booming demand, but the Biden administration and the Federal Reserve say the uptick in inflation is likely to be temporary.

Hiring by U.S. employers accelerated sharply amid an improving public health outlook and a new round of $1,400 relief payments.

Demand for bus travel has dropped sharply during the pandemic, jeopardizing an industry that ordinarily serves many lower-income travelers.

Consumer prices rose 0.4% in August and 1.3% over the last 12 months. Some economists say that official measure understates inflation, because the pandemic has changed both what and how we buy.

The price of baking flour has fallen along with the price of eggs, suggesting an easing in the baking craze that gripped hungry and housebound consumers in the early weeks of the coronavirus pandemic.

The latest inflation data offers a snapshot of Americans' new pandemic spending habits. Prices are down for most goods and services but up sharply for groceries.