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U.S. consumer prices post first decline in seven months

U.S. consumer prices unexpectedly fell in August as gasoline prices resumed their decline and a strong dollar curbed the cost of other goods, pointing to tame inflation that complicates the Federal Reserve’s decision whether to hike interest rates. The Labor Department said on Wednesday its Consumer Price Index slipped 0.1 percent last month, the first decline since January, after edging up 0.1 percent in July.