The latest report from the Commerce Department showed that the Federal Reserve’s favored inflation gauge decreased significantly last month, a positive sign for the Fed’s year-long attempt to cool rising prices through higher interest rates. The report showed that consumer prices rose 0.3% from January to February, down from the 0.6% increase from December to January. Measured year-over-year, prices rose by 5%, slower than the 5.3% increase in January. Excluding volatile food and energy prices, the “core” inflation rose 0.3% from January and 4.6% from a year earlier. Both were slowdowns from the previous month. The report suggests that while inflation pressures are easing gradually, they still hold on to the economy.