Headline Roundup • February 13th, 2026
Inflation Cools to 2.4% in January
Summary from the AllSides News Team
Inflation cooled more than many economists expected in January, with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rising 2.4% from a year prior.
The Details: Many economists reportedly expected inflation to rise 2.5%. Declining gas and used vehicle prices largely contributed to the cooling, though prices continued to increase for household costs such as food and washing machines. Housing costs saw a slight rise of 0.2% from December.
For Context: January's year-over-year inflation was cooler than that of 2.7% in December, and it marks the slowest inflation rate since May. Inflation cooled to 2.7% in November from 3% in September; however, no October data was released due to a 43-day government shutdown.
How The Media Covered It: News media largely covered the data objectively, attributing the cooling most prominently to gas prices. However, some news outlets on the left exhibited slant by emphasizing potential drawbacks of the data and highlighting remaining areas of struggle. Some on the right alternatively did so by emphasizing the level of cooling and its positive implications. Fox Business (Lean Right bias), for example, said the inflation report "sparked a market rebound." Meanwhile, CBS News (Lean Left) cited a poll indicating, "millions of Americans still feel under the gun financially." The outlet also reported, "Personal Consumption Expenditures, another measure of consumer spending – remains stuck at nearly 3%, well above the central bank's 2% annual target." The Wall Street Journal (Center) noted both "[inflation fell] more than economists expected" and "consumers still saw higher costs for computers, appliances and hospital care." It suggested that "officials may want several more months of evidence that price pressures are moderating." The outlet conflicted with the Fox Business report in saying, "Stock indexes ended Friday little changed."
RELATED: Has CBS News' Bias Moved Right Under Bari Weiss' Leadership? AllSides Analysis | AllSides
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Featured Coverage of this Story
A better-than-expected January inflation report sparked a market rebound Friday, reinforcing optimism that easing price pressures could give the Federal Reserve more flexibility on interest rates in the months ahead.
The Consumer Price Index rose 0.2% month over month in January, below expectations for a 0.3% increase. On an annual basis, headline inflation came in at 2.4%, also under forecasts. The data immediately lifted equity markets as investors re-calibrated expectations for the path of inflation and monetary policy...
Lucía Vázquez for WSJ
Annual inflation slowed in January, falling more than economists expected, helped by declining prices for gasoline and used vehicles.
Cooler price increases overall are positive news for the economy, easing concerns that the Trump administration's steep tariffs will lead to broader ongoing inflation. Yet price increases in January for items like computers and washing machines suggest inflation is continuing to weigh on Americans exhausted by price hikes...
The Consumer Price Index rose 2.4% in January from a year ago, below economists' forecasts and a sign that price pressures across the U.S. are easing.
By the numbers
The CPI was expected to rise 2.5% on an annual basis last month, according to economists polled by financial data firm FactSet. The January CPI represents the slowest pace of inflation since May 2025 and is down from December's 2.7% annual rate...
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