Inflation rises on gas prices; industrial production flat

(March 16, 2012) -- "The CPI report is starting to reflect the effect of gasoline prices trending higher in the face of the recent rise in crude oil prices," said Ferley. "This strikes some ominous parallels to a year ago when a spike in gasoline prices contributed to very weak consumer spending growth during the first half of 2011 resulting from the downward hit to disposable income outside of energy purchases.