EXPLAINER: Why US inflation is so high, and when it may ease

WASHINGTON (AP) — Inflation's relentless surge didn't merely persist in June. It accelerated.For the 12 months ending in June, the government's consumer price index rocketed 9.1%, the fastest year-over-year jump since 1981.
And that was nothing next to what energy prices did: Fueled by heavy demand and by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, energy costs shot up nearly 42% in the past 12 months, the largest such jump since 1980.Even if you toss out food and energy prices — which are notorio