The consumer price index (CPI) climbed 8.5 percent over the 12 months to March, the biggest jump since December 1981 as Americans paid more for gasoline, food, and other essentials
Gasoline prices hover around $4.00 a gallon for the least expensive grade at several gas stations in the nation's capital on April 11, 2022 in Washington, DC. The high fuel prices are a combination of the lingering effects of the coronavirus pandemic, supply chain breakdowns, high inflation and the ongoing invasion of Ukraine by Russia. (Credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)