Prices in the US rose faster than expected last month as rising energy and food costs pushed inflation to the highest rate since 1981.
Annual inflation rose to 8.6% in May after decelerating in April, according to the Labor Department.
The rising cost of living is putting pressure on households and putting pressure on policymakers to get the problem under control.
The US Federal Reserve has been raising interest rates since March.
Analysts had hoped the measures would begin to cool economic activity and ease price pressures. But the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, which has pushed up prices for oil and commodities like wheat as it disrupts exports from the two countries, has made solving the problem difficult.
Price hikes have spread throughout the economy, elevating everything from airline tickets and clothing to medical services.
“So much for the idea that inflation has peaked. Consumer prices have beaten expectations — and not in a good way, as the 8.6% annual increase is the fastest in more than 40 years,” said Greg McBride, chief financial analyst at Bankrate.com.
“Worse, the increases were almost ubiquitous.
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