Consumer Price Index Rises 0.6% on Higher Fuel Costs

The consumer price index rose 0.6% in September for a second month, the Labor Department said Tuesday.

The rise reflects a jump in energy expenses with energy costs increasing 4.5% from a month earlier, Bloomberg reported.

Economists had forecast a 0.5% increase in the government’s main inflation gauge, Bloomberg reported.

The core CPI rate, which excludes food and energy, rose 0.1%.

Almost 60% of the CPI covers prices consumers pay for services. If consumer prices are climbing, it could reflect an increase in demand for consumer goods, which increases the demand for trucking services.