Consumer Price Index Rises 0.1%

The gain followed no change in February, which came after 10 months of increases.

The core CPI, which excludes food and energy, did not change, after a 0.1% gain in February.

Economists had forecast an increase of 0.1% for both the CPI and the core rate, Bloomberg reported.

Energy prices did not change in March.

The CPI is the government’s broadest gauge of costs for goods and services. Almost 60% of the CPI covers prices consumers pay for services.

If consumer prices are climbing, it could reflect an increase in demand for consumer goods, which increases the demand for trucking services.