U.S. inflation exceeded forecasts in October, with electricity prices rising faster than the broader energy index as the figures fed debate over the Federal Reserve’s December policy, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data showed.
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) for all items rose 0.4%, down from 0.6% in September. The index excluding food and energy advanced 0.3% for a third straight month, matching August and September.
Reuters reported that economists it surveyed had expected monthly increases of 0.3% for overall CPI and 0.2% for core. Each result exceeded its estimate by 0.1 percentage point. Electricity prices rose 0.9%; energy overall increased 0.7%, and food prices gained 0.5%.
A lapse in appropriations meant the BLS did not collect survey data in October 2025, the agency said. Without that comparison month, it could not calculate year-over-year changes for most CPI categories in October 2026.
Before the Nov. 10 release, Federal Reserve Governor Christopher J. Waller said a monthly core increase near 0.3% or higher could prompt consideration of a 50-basis-point increase at the December meeting. His remarks expressed his own policy view and did not announce a Federal Open Market Committee decision.
EconoTimes previously examined the dollar outlook after the October CPI release. Waller pointed to the Fed’s December meeting as the next point for policymakers to weigh the data.
