Japan's consumer prices rise 3.1% in July in blow to households

Japan's core consumer prices in July rose 3.1 percent from a year earlier, well above the Bank of Japan's 2 percent target, as food and service price hikes kept the overall inflationary trend intact, government data showed Friday.The nationwide core consumer price index, excluding volatile fresh food items, rose for the 23rd straight month, amid emerging signs of entrenched inflation hurting consumer sentiment.The key gauge of inflation slowed from 3.3 percent in June as the impact of higher fuel costs, a major driver behind the recent bout of cost-push inflation, has been waning, according…READ FULL ARTICLE