WASHINGTON — The consumer price index rose 0.4% in January as food costs increased by the largest amount in 28 months and gasoline prices gained for the seventh straight month, the Labor Department reported Thursday.
Core consumer prices, which exclude food and energy costs, increased 0.2% in January, the largest monthly increase since October 2009.
January energy prices rose 2.1% as gasoline prices increased 3.5%. Food prices crept up 0.5% for the month, the largest increase since September 2008. Food eaten at home, as opposed to restaurant meals, rose 0.7% in January, the largest such gain since August 2008.
Economists expected prices to increase 0.4% and core prices to rise 0.1%.
