.S. consumer price index rose 0.4% in March, the Labor Department reported Wednesday. Prices were higher across the board, with only natural gas, new vehicles and education prices declining in the month. The increase was above Wall Street's expectations of a 0.3% gain. The core CPI, meanwhile, increased 0.3%, a tick higher than the 0.2% gain expected. This is the largest increase in core prices since last March. The CPI has risen 3.4% in the past 12 months, down from 3.6% last month. The core rate is up 2.1% year-over-year, the same as last month. In March, energy prices rose 1.3%. Food prices rose 0.1%. Housing prices increased 0.2%
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