Inflation expectations for the year ahead among businesses in the Federal Reserve's Sixth District eased to 1.9% in December from 2.0% in the prior month, survey data from the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta showed.

The Atlanta Fed also reported that annual unit cost growth among companies came in at 1.6% this month, down from 1.7% in November.

Meanwhile, sales levels and profit margins compared to "normal times" were little changed, the Atlanta Fed said. The diffusion index for current sales levels fell month over month to negative 1.0 from positive 1.0, while the index for profit margins decreased to negative 13.0 from negative 11.0.

The Fed's Sixth District covers Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and portions of Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee.