Prices for a broad range of goods and services accelerated from December to January — and not just for items directly affected by the pandemic. Apartment rental costs rose 0.5per cent in January, the fastest pace in 20 years. Electricity prices surged 4.2per cent in January alone, the sharpest rise in 15 years, and are up 10.7per cent from a year earlier. Last month, household furniture and supplies rose 1.6per cent, the largest one-month increase on records dating to 1967. Food costs, driven by pricier eggs, cereal and dairy products, increased 0.9per cent in January. New car prices, which have jumped during the pandemic because of a shortage of computer chips, were unchanged last month but are up 12.2per cent from a year ago. The surge in new-car prices has, in turn, accelerated used-car prices; they rose 1.5per cent in January and are up a dizzying 41per cent from a year ago.