U.S. consumer prices rose 0.4% from September to October on a seasonally adjusted basis, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Tuesday. The increase was smaller than September’s 0.6%, but exceeded economists’ expectations, The Associated Press reported.
Grocery prices reversed course
Prices for food bought for home consumption rose 0.4% after falling 0.1% in September. Overall food prices rose 0.5% after holding steady the previous month. The grocery figures track average price movements across a basket of goods, so individual households may see larger or smaller changes depending on what they buy.
Why October has no headline annual rate
The agency did not collect October 2025 survey data during a lapse in federal appropriations. That left it without the year-earlier baseline used to calculate the headline 12-month change for October 2026. The monthly comparison uses September and October 2026 data and was published as usual.
The slower monthly increase still means the overall price level rose. The 0.4% figure compares October with September and should be read alongside the agency’s other monthly figures, which show that prices also rose in August and September.