US core inflation falls to 3.0% in February, in line with forecasts

Core inflation in the United States fell to 3.0% in February, according to the PCE measure. This was in line with the average forecast among analysts, according to a Bloomberg compilation.

In January, core inflation, the annual rate of price increases, was 3.1%.

PCE inflation is seen by the US Federal Reserve (Fed) as the most important measure of price increases when making decisions about future policy rates. Unlike the more common CPI measure of inflation, which is based on a basket of goods, PCE inflation is calculated on what is actually consumed.