The central bank’s recent infusion of financial-market brawn includes Beth Hammack, who worked for three decades at Goldman Sachs.

Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland President Beth Hammack said in an interview published in the Wall Street Journal on Friday that inflation remained a problem.

The Consumer Price Index rose 2.9 percent from a year earlier, but a measure of underlying inflation was more encouraging.

Tariffs are a wild-card for inflation this year, but it is too soon to say what any changes will mean for the Federal Reserve, said central-bank newcomer Beth Hammack. In an interview, the Cleveland F

U.S. inflation likely worsened last month on the back of higher prices for gas, eggs, and used cars, a trend that could make it less likely that the Federal Reserve will cut its key interest rate much this year.

Annual inflation ticked up for a third straight month in December as food, energy costs rose, CPI report showed. But underlying price measure eased.

U.S. inflation picked up last month as prices rose for gas, eggs, and used cars, yet underlying price pressures also showed signs of easing a bit. Wednesday’s report from the Labor Department showed that the consumer price index rose 2.