U.S. inflation climbed to a 39-year high in November, as strong consumer demand collided with supply constraints. Overall, the level of consumer prices leapt 6.8% last month from a year earlier, the Labor Department said.
But prices didn’t change at the same rate for all goods and services. A surge in prices for gasoline and other energy sources, along with prices for cars, have been the primary drivers of this year’s inflation burst. Meanwhile, prices for services like education and medical care rose just slightly.