Inflation stayed elevated in April but eased off its 40-year high, signaling that a stomach-churning surge in consumer prices since last summer may have peaked. The consumer price index increased 8.3% annually, down from 8.5% in March, as a drop in gasoline prices offset a continuing run-up in food, rent and other costs, the Labor Department said Wednesday. March’s yearly advance marked the fastest since December 1981. April’s pullback in the annual reading was the first since last August and halted five straight months of fresh 40-year highs. But hold off on that shopping spree. Overall consumer prices still edged ... (full story)