Soft landing bets firm as inflation slows and consumer demand holds up
The Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation measure softened more than expected in November even as durable goods order soared, helping ratify bets on a “soft landing” in the US economy ahead of year end. Data released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis this morning showed the core personal consumption expenditures index rising 0.1 percent in November from the prior month, bringing the three-month annualized pace to 2.16 percent, well within the central bank’s target range. On a year over year basis, core prices were up 3.2 percent, undershooting consensus estimates that had been set closer to 3.3 percent. The overall personal...