Business notebook

Apartment rents are up. So are restaurant meals, haircuts, gym memberships and a cup of coffee.

For U.S. consumers who have enjoyed stable prices for several years, inflation is finally ticking up – reflecting a healthier economy and a key reason the Federal Reserve, which meets this week, will likely raise interest rates this year. Stepped-up price tags for a range of consumer items are the largest since the Great Recession ended six years ago.

ALSO

▪  Global stocks steady and U.S. markets advance, as investors were encouraged by strong results from UPS, Ford and other big companies.

▪  Ford Motor Co.’s net income jumped 44 percent to $1.9 billion in the second quarter as global sales rose and the company was able to charge more for new trucks and SUVs with premium features.

▪  Microsoft’s Windows 10 operating system debuts Wednesday as the company tries to convince people that the traditional PC – and Microsoft itself – still has a place in a world dominated by phones, tablets and information stored online.

▪  Volkswagen overtakes Toyota in global vehicle sales for January-June, the first time the German automaker has come out top in the intensely competitive tallies.

From Wire Reports.