Key Takeaways Consumer prices stayed flat in March, in line with forecaster expectations, as a drop in gas prices kept overall inflation tame.Wednesday's report on Personal Consumption Expenditures provided a snapshot of the economy ahead of President Donald Trump's tariff campaign.

U.S. consumer spending increased solidly in March as households boosted purchases of motor vehicles to avoid higher prices and shortages due to tariffs, but that did little to change economists' views that the economy had shifted into lower gear.

A car-buying frenzy, stoked by tariff fears, drove US consumer spending in March to its biggest monthly gain in more than two years, new data showed Wednesday.