Consumer Prices Remain Flat
WASHINGTON--U.S. consumer prices remained flat in July, the fourth consecutive month that costs didn't increase, showing that inflation pressures are contained.</br></br>The index of consumer prices, which measures how much Americans pay for everything from groceries to cars, was unchanged in July from the prior month, the Labor Department said Wednesday. Prices grew 1.4% from a year earlier, the smallest annual gain since November 2010.</br></br>A 1.3% decline in electricity costs helped offset small increases to gasoline and food prices last month.</br></br>When removing volatile food and energy costs, consumer prices rose 0.1% last month from June and grew 2.1% year over year.</br></br>Economists surveyed by Dow Jones Newswires forecast that both overall and core prices would rise 0.2% in July.