Federal Reserve officials are about to get further confirmation that progress against inflation has stalled, supporting what appears to be a shift in tone to keep interest rates higher for longer than previously anticipated. Policymakers’ preferred inflation gauge — the personal consumption expenditures price index — probably stayed elevated in March, according to data due in the coming week. The measure is seen accelerating slightly to 2.6% on an annual basis as energy costs rise. The core metric, which strips out energy and food, is expected to rise 0.3% from the prior month after a similar gain in February. While ... (full story)