Rents a Key Driver of Inflation

Housing increases account for nearly half the rise in the core consumer price index.

By Lisa Girion and Annette Haddad, Times Staff Writers
May 18, 2006

Like an uninvited drunken uncle, higher consumer inflation crashed the economy's growth party Wednesday. But it wasn't just higher energy prices that caused concern.

Rising rents and higher prices for a wide variety of consumer goods, including prescription drugs, swimsuits and school books, were key factors behind a higher-than-expected 0.6% increase in consumer prices in April.