Finance1 min read

Consumer prices rose 0.4% in October, more than expected

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In short

The consumer price index climbed 0.4% in October, outpacing the 0.3% estimate from a Dow Jones economist survey. Core CPI, which excludes food and energy, also rose faster than projected with a 0.3% monthly gain. The Bureau of Labor Statistics omitted the standard annual inflation figure because an earlier 2025 government shutdown halted necessary data collection. This lack of historical data leaves policymakers with an incomplete long-term picture despite clear evidence of accelerated monthly increases.

Key points

  • Accelerating monthly consumer costs present unexpected obstacles for the Federal Reserve'…: Accelerating monthly consumer costs present unexpected obstacles for the Federal Reserve's ongoing campaign to reduce inflation.
  • Underlying inflation remains resilient, as core price measures climbed above forecasts al…: Underlying inflation remains resilient, as core price measures climbed above forecasts alongside the broader headline consumer price index.
  • Incomplete historical records caused by an earlier government shutdown have deprived anal…: Incomplete historical records caused by an earlier government shutdown have deprived analysts of a formal annual inflation comparison.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

An employee restocks eggs at an H-E-B grocery store on May 11, 2026 in Austin, Texas.

Brandon Bell | Getty Images

Costs for goods and services rose more than expected in October, providing fresh warning signs for the Federal Reserve in its fight to lower inflation, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Tuesday.

The consumer price index, a broad gauge of costs across the U.S. economy, increased a seasonally adjusted 0.4% for the month. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones had been looking for a 0.3% increase.

Stripping out volatile food and energy, so-called core CPI increased 0.3% against the forecast for a 0.2% gain.

The BLS did not estimate a yearly rate. The government shutdown last year prevented the bureau from collecting sufficient data in October 2025, so there is no comparable figure to use.

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