U.S. inflation picked up last month as prices rose for gas, eggs, and used cars, yet underlying price pressures also showed signs of easing a bit. Wednesday’s report from the Labor Department showed that the consumer price index rose 2.

The Labor Department's inflation report for the month of December showed that food and energy prices were the primary drivers of stubborn inflation experienced by consumers.

The Consumer Price Index rose 2.9 percent from a year earlier, but a measure of underlying inflation was more encouraging.