U.S. inflation accelerated last month as prices for gas, eggs, and used cars rose, yet underlying price pressures also showed signs of easing, bolstering hopes that the Federal Reserve could still cut its key interest rate this year.

Inflation probably picked up in late 2024, fueled by robust household spending amid a strong economy. A key gauge of inflation — the consumer price index — is expected to show Wednesday morning that prices rose by 2.9 percent in December from a year earlier, according to economists’ forecasts of data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.