Consumer prices remained in check in April, in spite of surging food costs, which could give the Federal Reserve more room for manoeuvre as it seeks to steer the US economy out of its current malaise.

The consumer price index advanced by 0.2 per cent in April while core prices, which exclude food and energy, rose by only 0.1 per cent. Both price gauges came in a tenth of a percentage point less than economists had forecast.