• US inflation accelerated at the end of 2023, fueled by stubborn services costs while a protracted decline in goods prices petered out.
• The consumer price index increased 3.4% in the year through December, the most in three months, according to government figures. It also rose by more than forecast on a monthly basis
  as housing costs continued to climb, Americans paid more to drive and energy prices advanced for the first time since September.
• The figures show the Federal Reserve is facing a bumpy path to tame inflation, which risks staying elevated in coming months should prices of goods, such as clothing and cars, continue to climb. Fed policymakers and Wall Street economists have been starting to question the durability of the recent downturn, which has largely stemmed from improving supply chains.