The February consumer price index surged 0.7% after an unrevised flat reading in January, while the core rate rose 0.2% after an unrevised 0.3% gain in January, the Labor Department reported Friday.
Economists polled by Thomson Reuters expected the headline number to increase 0.5% and the core to climb 0.2%.
Food and beverage prices were up 0.1% in the month after a flat January, housing increased 0.2% each month, transportation costs soared 3.0% and energy prices were up 5.4%, fueled by a 9.1% surged in gasoline prices.
The consumer price index and core rise match the rise in the producer price index, which was released Thursday.
