U.S. March CPI Rises Sharply Amid Conflict with Iran

The U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI) for March showed a significant increase, driven by soaring gasoline prices due to the ongoing conflict with Iran. According to Jin10, the seasonally adjusted CPI rose by 0.9% month-on-month, marking the largest increase since 2022. Data released on Friday indicated that the CPI climbed 0.9% from February, with the year-on-year growth rate accelerating to 3.3%, the fastest pace since 2024. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics noted that the record surge in gasoline prices contributed nearly three-quarters of the monthly CPI increase. Meanwhile, the core CPI, which excludes food and energy costs, saw a more modest rise of 0.2% month-on-month.