Overall US inflation probably slowed slightly last month. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics is forecasting that the nation's consumer price index rose 0.1% in March. That would be the smallest increase since July.
However, the core index, which excludes food and energy prices, gained 0.3% from February and 3% from a year earlier, the Bureau forecasts.
As Bloomberg reports, economists will pay particular attention to goods inflation in March to assess the impact of import tariffs on US consumers.
An important indicator for understanding future inflationary trends will be a preliminary survey of consumer sentiment for April, the news agency emphasizes. The survey will help determine whether inflation expectations continue to rise. Friday's report on producer prices may also provide the first clues on the impact of tariffs on the US economy. Analysts surveyed by Bloomberg don't expect consumer prices to reflect the tariff increases. But they do expect the producer price index to rise, particularly in the commodities sector.