In the past week, many Americans remained laser focused on the economy, inflation and how those forces could impact their lives. But it is almost impossible not to notice that trips to the grocery store or gas station are more painful than they were last year. Here’s a snapshot of some of the latest economic data and news and what it potentially means for you. Key inflation gauge jumps to highest level in 3 years A key inflation measure jumped in March as gas prices soared, the latest sign that the Iran war is pushing up the cost of living and delaying any interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve. An inflation gauge monitored by the Fed rose 0.7% in March from February, up sharply from the previous month, the Commerce Department said Thursday. Compared with a year ago, prices rose 3.5%, the biggest increase in almost three years. Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, core inflation rose 0.3% in March from February, and it was 3.2% higher than a year earlier.…