The recent uptick in rental prices presents a mixed bag for investors, buoying the outlook for residential real estate stocks while simultaneously stirring inflationary concerns that could complicate efforts to achieve the Federal Reserve’s 2% inflation target. What Happened: The median U.S. asking rent saw a 2.2% increase year over year in February, reaching $1,981, marking the most significant gain since January 2023, with a month-on-month increase of 0.9%, as revealed by Redfin. This rise is partly attributed to the “base effect,” given that rents were at their lowest in February 2023, lead…