The forthcoming US Consumer Price Index (CPI) report for March, scheduled for release by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) at 12:30 GMT on Thursday, is anticipated to exert influence on Federal Reserve (Fed) monetary policy considerations and the valuation of the US Dollar (USD). Consensus forecasts indicate a 2.6% year-over-year increase in the headline CPI, a marginal decrease from the 2.8% reported in February. The core CPI, excluding volatile food and energy prices, is projected to register a 3.0% increase, compared to 3.1% in the preceding month. Month-over-month projections suggest a 0.1% rise in the CPI and a 0.3% increase in the core CPI. Analysts at TD Securities anticipate a sustained core inflation rate of 0.26% month-over-month, citing a potential deceleration in goods inflation offset by increased momentum in services prices. They also project a headline CPI increase of 0.07% month-over-month, driven by a contraction in energy prices and a flattening of food inflation.
