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US annual consumer price increase slows to below 3% as inflation ebbs

U.S. consumer prices rose moderately in July and the annual increase in inflation slowed to below 3% for the first time in nearly 3-1/2 years, opening the door wider for the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates next month. The report from the Labor Department on Wednesday marked the third straight month of tame consumer price readings and added to a mild rise in producer prices last month in suggesting that inflation was firmly back on a downward trend.