On March 13, 2026, the Bureau of Economic Analysis published personal consumption expenditures (PCE) figures for January. This metric serves as the Federal Reserve’s primary gauge for measuring inflationary pressures. The core PCE measure, excluding volatile food and fuel components, climbed 3.1% compared to the same period last year. This figure aligned with analyst projections while accelerating from December’s 3.0% reading. The monthly increase registered 0.4%, also conforming to forecasts. Overall PCE inflation — encompassing all consumer goods and services — advanced 2.8% on a yearly basis. This undershot the ... (full story)