**U.S. Inflation Rises Slightly in April, Defying Tariff Impact Predictions**
Inflation ticked up modestly in April, rising less than expected despite con
cerns that new tariffs would accelerate price increases.According to the Labor Department on Tuesday, the consumer price index (CPI) rose 0.2% from March, below economists’ forecasts of a 0.3% increase. In March, prices had dipped 0.1%.Year-over-year, inflation stood at 2.3%, marking the slowest annual pace since February 2021.Core inflation, which strips out volatile food and energy costs, also rose 0.2% in April. Over the past 12 months, core prices increased 2.8%, slightly below the predicted 0.3% monthly rise.The April report is the first since President Donald Trump’s April 2 announcement of new tariff hikes. While some tariffs on Chinese goods have been in place since February, many analysts had anticipated broader price increases in April. So far, that inflationary pressure hasn’t materialized.