An increase in petrol prices helped to drive up US consumer prices 0.3% in June, ahead of economists' predictions of 0.2%.
But core prices, which strip out energy and food, were up only 0.1% , the smallest increase since December of last year. Over the year, overall consumer prices were up 3.3% and core prices were up 1.9%.
Energy prices jumped 2.6% , including a 3.1% in petrol prices. Food prices rose 0.2%, house prices were up 0.3% and car prices up 0.2%.
The US Federal Reserve raised the federal funds target rate on July 1 for the first time in four years, pushing it to 1.25% from a 46-year low of 1%. The Federal Reserve said that it would increase interest rates as needed if inflation appeared to be getting out of control.
