Inflation slowed to 6.5% in December, easing fears of more aggressive interest rate hikes

U.S. consumer inflation slowed again in December to 6.5% over the last 12 months, easing some pressure on households and the economy and also fears that the Fed will continue to hike interest rates aggressively. It was the sixth straight month of slowing in price rises on a year-on-year basis. The inflation report released Thursday offers another welcome sign that the worst bout of spiking prices in four decades is slowly weakening. Or it could suggest that inflation remains persistent enough to require tougher action by the Federal Reserve. Most...