The Consumer Price Index increased 4.2 percent year-over-year through May, with a 0.5 percent monthly gain driven primarily by energy costs linked to Middle East conflict. Core CPI rose 2.9 percent over the same period while average wages increased 3.4 percent and employers added 172,000 jobs. A disputed claim attributes gasoline price surges to a U.S. war with Iran, contradicted by multiple sources.