Americans' refusal to keep paying higher prices may be dealing a final blow to US inflation spike 

FILE - A long row of unsold 2024 Atlas utility vehicles is shown, July 28, 2024, at a Volkswagen dealership in Denver. FILE - A shopper looks at cheese offerings at a Target store on Oct. 4, 2023, in Sheridan, Colo.

The great inflation spike of the past three years is nearly spent — and economists credit American consumers for helping slay it.