U.S. Consumer Prices Rise 0.4% in October, More Than Expected

U.S. consumer prices rose 0.4% in October from the previous month, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Tuesday, exceeding economists' expectations for a 0.3% increase.

The increase followed a 0.6% rise in September. Core prices, which exclude food and energy, rose 0.3% for the third consecutive month.

Shelter costs increased 0.3%, accounting for more than 30% of the overall monthly rise. Food prices climbed 0.5%, with groceries up 0.4% and food away from home up 0.5%.

Energy prices rose 0.7%, following September's 5.2% increase. Used cars and trucks and communication were among the major categories that became cheaper.

BLS could not publish the usual annual inflation rate for many indexes because survey data were not collected in October 2025 during a lapse in government funding. The 0.4% headline figure is a monthly, seasonally adjusted increase, not a year-over-year rate.