The U.S. Consumer Price Index was forecast to rise 0.2 percent in June, after edging up 0.1 percent a month earlier.
U.S. consumer prices were unchanged in June as the cost of gasoline and mobile phone services declined further, pointing to benign inflation that could cast doubts on the Federal Reserve’s ability to increase interest rates for a third time this year.
The Labor Department said on Friday that the unchanged reading in its Consumer Price Index followed a 0.1 percent dip in May. The lack of a rebound in the CPI in June could trouble Fed officials who have largely viewed the recent moderation in price pressures as transitory.
