The U.S. Labor Department says that sharply rising gasoline costs
boosted consumer prices in the country in February by the most in 10
months.
With the price of gasoline increasing almost daily in the United States
in recent weeks, officials said Friday that consumer costs advanced 0.4
percent last month. Almost all of the increase in inflation was the
result of the 6 percent jump in the last month for the price of gas
motorists are paying to fuel their cars.
Gasoline
in the U.S. now costs an average of more than $1 a liter . It is the
highest ever for this time of year in the country, although still lower
than in numerous other countries.
The price of crude oil on the world market has risen in recent months,
sparked largely because of the tension over the West’s demand that
oil-producing Iran curtail development of its nuclear program. In the
U.S., the cost of crude oil accounts for about three-fourths of the
price motorists pay for gasoline at service stations.
The government said that other than for gas, inflationary pressures were
negligible, and noted that food prices were unchanged for the first time
in 19 months.
The U.S. central bank said earlier this week that it expects the higher
energy costs would only temporarily boost inflation.
