Inflation creeps up in October on higher energy, auto prices

A few bread crumbs for the inflation hawks in October, as consumer prices rose 0.3% in October, the U.S. Labor Department announced Wednesday. Energy prices rose for the fifth time in six months.

The core rate -- which excludes the often-volatile food and energy component -- rose 0.2%. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg News had expected consumer prices to increase 0.2% in October, and the core rate to rise 0.1%.