The PCE price index - closely watched by the Fed for its monetary policy - showed an annual inflation rate of 2.7% in March, compared with 2.5% in February, with the underlying rate (excluding energy and food) holding steady at 2.8% month-on-month.

U.S. inflation on this measure is therefore slightly higher than economists had anticipated, since those at Jefferies were, for example, expecting rates of 2.6% on an unadjusted basis and 2.7% on an underlying basis.

The Commerce Department, which publishes these figures, also reports that U.S. household spending rose by 0.8% in March compared with the previous month, while household income rose by 0.5%.

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