According to the Consumer Price Index reports on March 12th, the US Department of Labor announced on Wednesday that the consumer price index rose by 2.8% year-on-year in February, while economists expected a rise of 2.9%, and prices excluding food and energy rose by 3.1% year-on-year. However, even though the consumer price index turned out to be lower than expected, the data published on Wednesday indicates that inflation rates still exceed the central bank's 2% target. This may limit the Federal Reserve's ability to quickly lower interest rates in the event of signs of economic slowdown, as policymakers fear that their efforts to avoid a possible recession could lead to increased pressure to raise inflation. In addition, the Wednesday report was largely published before the latest tariff measures by President Trump, indicating that the full impact of the new tariffs may not have been taken into account.