Consumer prices fell by 0.1 percent from March to April to a 2.4 percent annual increase, the Labor Department reported Thursday.

The deflation from March to April comes in below expectations of economists, who were predicting a 0.1 percent increase in the consumer price index (CPI) across the two months. On an annual basis, they were expecting an increase of about 2.6 percent.

Core inflation, which removes food and energy prices, advanced by 0.1 percent, falling to a 2.8 percent annual increase in March from 3.1 percent in February.

The unexpected monthly deflation follows a moderation in consumer spending earlier this year. Spending decreased by 0.3 percent in January before rising 0.4 percent in February, as measured by the Department........

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