By Emma Ockerman

Inflation cooled more than expected in January, data released Friday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed.

The Consumer Price Index showed that consumer prices increased 0.2% in January from a month earlier, and 2.4% on an annual basis. This report, delayed by the brief government shutdown this month, provided the first official glimpse of where prices were trending at the start of 2026 following a year of inflation hovering stubbornly above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target.

Economists surveyed by Bloomberg had expected a 0.3% monthly increase in consumer prices and an annual bump of 2.5%. On a "core" basis — which excludes volatile categories like energy and food — prices rose 0.3% over the last month and 2.5% over the prior year in January.

Friday's data was an improvement from December’s reading, which showed “core” consumer prices rose by 2.6%, the slowest annual pace since March 2021. Headline inflation in January was a more notable deceleration from the 2.7% annual rise clocked in December.

Regardless, there are some categories that may continue to vex consumers in 2026. Certain food prices, for example, have been especially elevated in the past year, including coffee and beef, helping to push that category 2.9% higher on an annual basis in January.

Also in focus: the continued impacts of President Trump’s sweeping tariffs, which were largely borne by companies and consumers last year.

Bank of America analysts wrote in a note last week that they expected core goods prices to accelerate from December’s levels, reflecting “a combination of increased tariff pass‑through and the typical tendency for January inflation to run hotter than the rest of the year.”

Coffee is for sale at a grocery store Monday, Feb. 9, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley). ASSOCIATED PRESS

Emma Ockerman is a reporter covering the economy and labor for Yahoo Finance. You can reach her at emma.ockerman@yahooinc.com.