Inflation Slows and Egg Prices Crack Lower in April
The cost of living may still feel high for many Americans, but April delivered some welcome relief at the breakfast table. According to new data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, egg prices dropped a staggering 12.7% last month—the sharpest monthly decline among all food categories.
The broader picture on inflation is also improving. The consumer price index (CPI) rose just 0.2% for April, pushing the annual inflation rate down to 2.3%, which is its lowest level since February 2021. While the core CPI (excluding food and energy) also increased by 0.2%, the year-over-year reading held steady at 2.8%.
Still, nothing dropped quite like eggs. Though prices remain up 49.3% compared to last year, reflecting the volatile swings the market has seen since 2022, this latest drop shows signs that supply chains and production levels may be stabilizing.
'Good news on inflation, and we need it,' Robert Frick, corporate economist at Navy Federal Credit Union, told CNBC. He added that upcoming tariff changes could still impact prices across multiple categories, but for now, the relief is real.
Other highlights in the April CPI report: food prices overall dipped 0.1%, used vehicle prices fell for the second straight month, and apparel saw a 0.2% decline. Energy prices rebounded with a 0.7% uptick after falling in March. Shelter costs, long a driver of inflation, continued to climb at a 0.3% pace, making up more than half of April's inflation rise.
As for what's next, all eyes remain on the United States' evolving tariff strategy. With the president dialing back the most aggressive plans for now, markets are recalibrating their expectations for potential Fed rate cuts later in the year.
Grocery prices showed some relief in April, with eggs leading the way—a 12.7% drop that marked the biggest decline of any food item. Good news, especially for people making omelets.
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D&B's Economy Observer Forecast Variables Forecast** Latest Period Previous period IIP Growth 1.8% May-25 2.7%April-25 3.0%Mar-25 Inflation WPI 0.7% May-25 0.9% April 25 2.0% Mar-25 CPI (Combined) 3.0% May-25 3.2% April-25 3.3% Mar-25 Exchange Rate (INR/USD) * 85.4 June-25 85.3 May-25 85.7 Apr 25 91-day T-Bills* 5.9% May-25 6.0% April-25 6.5% Mar-25 10-year G-Sec Yield* 6.4% May-25 6.5% April-25 6.7% Mar-25 Bank Credit 10.0% May-25 10.9%April-25 11% Mar-25 *Weekly Average ** Dun and Bradstreet Forecasts About Dun & Bradstreet: Dun & Bradstreet, a leading global provider of business decisioning data and analytics, enables companies around the world to improve their business performance. Dun & Bradstreet's Data Cloud fuels solutions and delivers insights that empower customers to accelerate revenue, lower cost, mitigate risk and transform their businesses. Since 1841, companies of every size have relied on Dun & Bradstreet to help them manage risk and reveal opportunity. For more information on Dun & Bradstreet, please visit Dun & Bradstreet Information Services India Private Limited is headquartered in Mumbai and provides clients with data-driven products and technology-driven platforms to help them take faster and more accurate decisions across finance, risk, compliance, information technology and marketing. Working towards Government of India's vision of creating an Atmanirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India) by supporting the Make in India initiative, Dun & Bradstreet India has a special focus on helping entrepreneurs enhance their visibility, increase their credibility, expand access to global markets, and identify potential customers & suppliers, while managing risk and opportunity. India is also the home to Dun & Bradstreet Technology & Corporate Services LLP, which is the Global Capabilities Center (GCC) of Dun & Bradstreet supporting global technology delivery using cutting-edge technology. Located at Hyderabad, the GCC has a highly skilled workforce of over 500 employees, and focuses on enhanced productivity, economies of scale, consistent delivery processes and lower operating expenses. Visit for more information. Click here for all Dun & Bradstreet India press releases. Logo: View original content:
