Also expected is a 0.2 percent rise in the core inflation rate, which excludes food and energy, identical to the previous month's increase.

That is significantly above the 2.3 percent rise in the general price index, excluding energy, but still quite modest.

The "core" rate, which excludes food and energy, was 1.5 percent.

The core rate, which excludes food and energy, had its biggest monthly increase in nearly four years.

But the same data showed that "core" inflation, which excludes food and energy, was up four-tenths of 1 percent.

The core rate, which excludes food and energy, was also up three-tenths of a percent.

The core index, which excludes food and energy, also rose 0.2 percent in the month, compared with the previous month's 0.1 percent increase.

The index, which excludes food and energy, is expected to have climbed 1.7 percent over the 12 months through March.

Most of the increase came from the higher price of natural gas; the core inflation rate, which excludes food and energy, rose 0.3 percent.

The core rate, which excludes food and energy, gained 0.2 percent.