“Core” C.P.I., which more closely reflects underlying inflation by removing volatile food and energy prices, also showed little improvement. It rose 0.4 percent from December or 3.3 percent on a year-over-year basis, both higher than economists expected. The monthly increase in core prices was the highest since April 2023.

Consumer prices rose 3%, extending a recent pattern of increases at the start of the year that likely derails the prospect for Federal Reserve rate cuts anytime soon.

Higher inflation readings left Fed officials telling lawmakers, business executives and the public that they may be waiting longer than they had thought for relief from high interest rates.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said the latest consumer price data show that while the central bank has made substantial progress toward taming inflation, there is still more work to do.

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said Wednesday the central bank has not been cut off from any data it needs to do its work. Speaking before a House panel as the Trump administration has been stripping government websites from various data sets,