US inflation rate drops to 3.4% in July, easing Federal Reserve's rate pressure

US consumer inflation eased to 3.4% in July amid fluctuating oil prices from the Iran war.

U.S. inflation slowed last month and a measure of underlying price pressures also cooled, suggesting higher oil and gas prices from the Iran war are only having a limited impact on broader costs in the economy.

In July, US consumer inflation slowed to 3.4%, despite volatile oil prices from the Iran conflict. (Bloomberg)

Consumer prices rose 3.4% in July from a year ago, down slightly from 3.5% in June, the Labor Department said Wednesday. But inflation is still higher than before the Iran war began in February, when it was 2.4%. On a monthly basis, prices rose just 0.1% from June to July.

Inflation has been pushed higher by a series of shocks to the economy, including President Donald Trump’s tariffs imposed last spring, higher gas prices stemming from the Iran war, and a surge in investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure that has boosted computer chip prices. The key question for the inflation-fighters at the Fed — not to mention for consumers struggling with high gas and grocery prices — is how quickly those one-time effects will fade.

Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, core inflation rose also slipped to 2.5% in July from a year ago, down from 2.6% in June. Core prices rose 0.2% from June to July. Monthly increases at about 0.2% would be low enough over time to bring inflation closer to the Fed’s 2% goal.

Wednesday’s figures could bolster officials at the Federal Reserve who believe the central bank can leave its key rate on hold at about 3.6% while inflation steadily declines on its own as those temporary factors fade.