The monthly increase in consumer prices is the smallest since November 2021
Some U.S. central bank officials encouraged by falling commodity prices, unclogging supply chain
The prospect of slower interest rate hikes sent U.S. markets soaring
Jerome Powell has expressed hope that inflationary pressure can be relieved by employers cutting job openings, not jobs
Stronger exports and consumer spending helped restore GDP
Meeting minutes reveal concern about U.S. economy's vulnerabilities
Hiring slowed but unemployment dropped to 3.5%
The poor performance was the second consecutive quarter of economic contraction
The economic contraction meets one informal sign of recession
Concerns about a recession have been eased, for now, by the ongoing strength of the job market