WASHINGTON, May 11 — US consumer price inflation slowed slightly last month, jumping 8.3 per cent compared to April 2021, according to government data released today.

The annual increase in the consumer price index (CPI) peaked in March at 8.5 per cent but slowed last month amid a drop in energy costs, the Labour Department reported.

Gasoline fell 6.1 per cent in April compared to March after the 18.3 per cent surge in the previous month.

Still, prices continued to rise last month for a range of goods, including housing, groceries, airline fares and new vehicles, and annual inflation remains at its highest rate since early 1982.

CPI rose just 0.3 per cent compared to March, after the 1.2 per cent surge in the prior month, but excluding volatile food and energy goods, the index increased 0.6 per cent — double the rate in March, the report said.

Food at home jumped 10.8 per cent over the last 12 months — the largest annual increase since November 1980, according to the report.

The index for meat, poultry, fish and eggs surged 14.3 per cent in the biggest gain since May 1979.

Americans saw big increases in the month for dairy and cereal products, even as fruit and vegetable costs fell.

Even with the decline in gasoline, energy costs have surged 30.3 per cent over the past 12 months, with gasoline up 43.6 per cent compared to a year ago. — AFP