By Greg Robb
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) - The rate of U.S. consumer inflation decelerated in December, the Labor Department said Friday. The consumer price index increased 0.1%, after a 0.4% rise in November. This is the slowest pace since July. Energy prices rose 0.2% after a 4.1% spike in November. Food prices rose 0.2% after a 0.1% gain in the prior month. The core CPI, excluding food and energy costs, was up 0.1% in December after remaining flat in November. Economists were expecting the CPI to rise 0.2% and the core rate to rise 0.1%.
