U.S. consumer prices in June were unchanged as energy prices actually fell, the Labor Department said Thursday. Excluding food and energy prices, core inflation at the consumer level increased 0.1%. The figures were well below expectations of an 0.2% increase. In the past year, the CPI is up 2.5%, the lowest year-over-year gain since September. The core CPI is up 2% in the past 12 months, in the middle of the Federal Reserve's comfort zone. Energy prices fell 0.5%. Food prices rose 0.1%. Housing prices increased 0.1%.