Inflation has risen since the summer and raised anxiety at the Federal Reserve, but a welcome slowdown in housing costs could be just what the doctor ordered.

Inflation is moving in the wrong direction. U.S. inflation picked up for a second straight month in November on a rise in food and gasoline prices, underscoring that the final stretch of the Federal Reserve's two-year battle against sharply rising prices has become more challenging.

The market sees the probability of another 25 basis point interest rate cut at next week's Federal Reserve meeting as rising despite inflation ticking higher in November.