September Consumer Price Index Rises

Consumer prices showed a modest rise of 0.3 percent in September, the U.S. Labor Department said Wednesday, reversing the 0.1 percent decline in August.

The September level was 2.8 percent higher than in September a year ago, the department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics said in a news release.

The core CPI, which does not include food and energy prices, rose 0.2 percent for the fourth straight month, the department said.

Energy, which dropped for the three preceding months, rose 0.3 percent in September. Petroleum-based energy increased 0.4 percent while the index for energy services moved up 0.1 percent.

The food index rose 0.5 percent in September. The department said the rise reflected increases for dairy products and fruits and vegetables.

Transportation was up 0.1 percent. Gasoline, which dropped the three previous months, rose in September by 0.4 percent.