November 20, 2002	Wednesday	Ramazan 14, 1423

WASHINGTON, Nov 19: Higher fuel costs drove US consumer prices up 0.3 per cent in October, taking the year-on-year inflation rate to 2.0 per cent, the government said on Tuesday.

Energy prices surged 1.9 per cent, the steepest increase since April, the Commerce Deparment said.

The price of gasoline rose 3.8 per cent, natural gas climbed 2.9 per cent and fuel oil advanced 1.9 per cent. Electricity prices declined 0.5 per cent, however.

When energy and food prices were stripped out of the equation, core consumer prices rose 0.2 per cent in October because of higher transport, medical care and housing prices.

Transport costs rose 0.6 per cent, largely because of a 0.4 per cent increase in automobile prices. Airline fares descended 2.4 per cent in raw figures.

In September, overall consumer prices rose 0.2 per cent, while core consumer prices edged up 0.1 per cent.—AFP