US consumer prices fall 0.1% in May, third straight drop

Excluding food and energy prices, which bounce around from month to month, so-called core inflation fell 0.1 per cent, falling for the third consecutive month for the first time everThe pandemic and the quarantines meant to contain it pushed the US economy into recession.

US consumer prices dropped in May for the third straight month as the coronavirus pandemic pushed the American economy into a recession

The Labor Department said Wednesday that its consumer price index fell 0.1 per cent last month after tumbling 0.8 per cent in April and 0.4 per cent in March. Excluding food and energy prices, which bounce around from month to month, so-called core inflation fell 0.1 per cent, falling for the third consecutive month for the first time ever

The pandemic and the quarantines meant to contain it pushed the US economy into recession. Weaker demand from customers pushes prices down.