Egg prices surge as US inflation picks up

A jump in energy and food prices hit the US last month, as progress stabilising prices remained elusive.

On average, prices in December were up 2.9% compared with a year earlier, up from 2.7% in November, the Labor Department said.

Energy prices accounted for more than 40% of the rise in inflation last month, according to the monthly report. It also showed egg prices shot up more than 36% compared with 2023, as a bout of bird flu hit supply and led to shortages.