Inflation increased a bit pushed up by housing and energy costs.

I'm Novasafo with the Marketplace Minute.

The Labor Department's Consumer Price Index rose in December at an annual rate of 3.4%,

that's a bit higher than the month before. Much of the increase

came from rising prices for housing, electricity, gasoline, and food. Initial claims for unemployment benefits

hit a three month low.

They totaled $202,000 last week, and continuing claims remained around $1.8 million.

The Securities and Exchange Commission approved 11 exchange traded funds tied to Bitcoin, reluctantly so with the agency

emphasizing Bitcoin's volatility. Similar ETFs exist for commodities such as gold or a collection

of bonds, allowing investors to trade on their value

without purchasing the underlying asset.

A $7 billion merger in the natural gas business.

Chesapeake Energy is buying southwestern energy.

The deal would create one of the biggest natural gas producers in the country

with vast assets in the Appalachian region.

I'm Novasafo with a marketplace minutes.