U.S. Economy: Consumer Prices Increased More Than Forecast

The cost of living in the U.S. rose more than forecast in May as prices for everything from autos to hotel rooms climbed, signaling raw-material expenses are filtering through the economy.

The consumer-price index increased 0.2 percent last month and was up 3.6 percent from May 2010, the biggest year-over-year advance since October 2008, according to figures from the Labor Department today in Washington. Another report showed factory production rebounded last month, easing concern the industry that helped propel the U.S. out of the recession was stagnating.