US consumer prices rose 0.6% in July, matching June uptick

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WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. consumer prices jumped 0.6% in July as gasoline prices continued to rise.

The Labor Department reported Wednesday that the increase last month in its consumer price index matched a 0.6% rise in June. The uptick was about twice what economists expected. But inflation remains in check: Consumer prices are up just 1% over the past year.

Gasoline prices rose 5.3% from June to July but are down 20.3% in the past 12 months as the coronavirus recession has kept Americans from driving.

Excluding volatile food and energy prices, so-called core inflation was up 0.6% last month from June and 1.6% from a year ago.