Inflation, factory data favor continued Fed easing

By Lucia Mutikani WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Consumer prices fell in March for the first time in four months and factory output slipped, strengthening the argument for the Federal Reserve to maintain its monetary stimulus to speed up economic growth. Other data on Tuesday suggested the housing market recovery was losing momentum, even though housing starts breached the 1-million unit rate mark for the first time since June 2008. "For the Fed, it's business as usual," said Millan Mulraine, senior economist at TD Securities in New York. ...