AFP, WASHINGTON:  US consu-mer inflation jumped sharply in the first month of 2018, the government reported Wednesday, spooking global stock markets amid concerns that interest rates will rise more aggressively this year.

The consumer price index (CPI), which tracks the costs of household goods and services, rose 0.5 per cent last month, exceeding analyst expectations, according to the Labor Department’s closely-watched report.

The core index, which excludes volatile food and fuel categories, rose 0.3 percent, the largest increase since January 2017.