evidence: WASHINGTON (AP) — Over the past year, inflation in the United States has tumbled from 9% all the way to 3%, softening most of the price pressures that have gripped the nation for more than two years. [...] Many employees, especially in the economy’s service sector, could push for further raises in the coming months. With labor shortages still a problem for service industries, workers have leverage to demand higher pay. For most Americans, pay gains have trailed inflation over the past two years. [...] Hanson, of J.P. Morgan, notes that measures of health insurance costs will start to rise this fall because of quirks in how the government measures them. And auto insurance and repair costs have been surging. A key reason is that vehicle prices soared after parts shortages developed when the pandemic erupted; costlier cars are more expensive to fix and insure. Auto insurance prices have soared nearly 17% in the past year.