US inflation runs hotter than expected as higher prices extend beyond gas station

WASHINGTON — U.S. inflation was higher than expected last month as the rising prices that powered sweeping Democratic victories in last week’s midterm elections appear likely to pose ongoing challenges for the White House and the Federal Reserve. The consumer price index rose 0.4 percent from September to October, the Labor Department said Tuesday, down from 0.6 percent the previous month. The government did not report a yearly inflation rate because last year's government shutdown meant no data was released for October 2025. But excluding the volatile food and energy categories, core prices rose 0.3 percent, the same as the preceding month. Both figures were a tenth of a point higher than forecast, and at an annual rate would be well above the Fed's 2 percent target. The new inflation data heightened concerns that strong consumer and business spending, combined with higher gas prices and supply disruptions stemming from tariffs and global turmoil, are creating increasingly stubborn inflation that could extend beyond temporary spikes in prices at the gas pump. The economy expanded a