U.S. Inflation Hit 7% in December, Fastest Pace Since 1982

U.S. inflation hit 7% in 2021 as pandemic-related supply and demand imbalances, along with stimulus intended to shore up the economy, put the biggest pressure on prices in nearly four decades.

The Labor Department said the consumer-price index—which measures what consumers pay for goods and services—rose 7% in December from the same month a year ago, up from 6.8% in November. That was the fastest pace since 1982 and marked the third straight month in which inflation exceeded 6%.

The so-called core price index, which excludes the often-volatile categories of food and energy, climbed 5.5% in December from a year earlier. That was a bigger increase than November’s 4.9% rise, and the highest rate since 1991.

On a monthly basis, the CPI increased a seasonally adjusted 0.5% in December from the preceding month, decelerating from October and November.