BREAKING NEWS: Energy prices push inflation to 3.6 percent annual rate [View All]

WASHINGTON - Consumer inflation posted another elevated reading in October as energy prices shot up by the fastest pace in five months.

The Labor Department reported Thursday that its Consumer Price Index rose by 0.3 percent last month, the second straight month with inflation at that level. The acceleration was occurring because of another jump in energy prices and continued increases in food costs.

Meanwhile, the government said that the number of laid off workers filing claims for unemployment benefits rose by 20,000 last week to 339,000, the highest level in four weeks. Labor Department analysts said the California wildfires boosted the number of jobless claims by about 2,000 and the writer’s strike, which has shut down production on many television programs, was also having an impact.

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