Higher prices at the gas pump pushed up inflation more than expected in February, according to the latest Consumer Price Index from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

However, stripping out categories that have more wild price swings — such as gasoline — inflation did slow in some key areas, fueling a touch of positive news for the Federal Reserve and consumers alike.

Overall, the closely watched inflation gauge showed that prices rose by 3.2% for the 12 months ended in February, the BLS said Tuesday. That’s up from January’s annual reading of 3.1%, and higher than economists’ expectations.