Plunging energy prices pulled the producer price index down 0.5%
U.S. CPI up 6% year over year
The downgrade was slight, but consumer spending was down sharply
Tougher regulations are a key focus
Policymakers hope to bring down inflation by reducing job openings
Output should grow 2.9%, global inflation should fall to 6.6%
Most economists expect a continued slowdown in Q1
U.S. personal consumption expenditures up 0.1% in November from October
The result was unexpectedly strong amid inflation and rising interest rates
The monthly increase in consumer prices is the smallest since November 2021