U.S. consumer prices unchanged in July

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch)
U.S. consumer prices were unchanged in July, as lower energy prices offset gains in food and other items, the U.S. Department of Labor reported Wednesday
An index of energy prices declined 0.3% in July, while the food index rose 0.1%
The core consumer price index, which excludes the volatile categories of food and energy, rose 0.1%
Economists surveyed by MarketWatch had expected an increase of 0.2% for both the overall and core price gauges
In June overall consumer prices were unchanged, while the core gauge rose 0.2%
The CPI rose 1.4% over the year through July, the smallest 12-month change since late 2010
The core rate gained 2.1% over the past 12 months, the smallest gain since late 2011
The government also reported that real average hourly earnings were unchanged in July, compared with a 0.3% gain in June