WASHINGTON (AFP) - American consumer prices climbed a moderate 0.2 percent in the month to September, curbed by a slide in energy costs.
Over the year, prices were up 2.5 percent, government figures showed Tuesday.
Stripping out volatile food and energy costs, core prices rose more sharply in the month, however, advancing 0.3 percent mostly because of a leap in hotel prices.
Over the year, core prices were up 2.0 percent -- the highest since November 2002.
A breakdown showed:
-- Energy prices fell 0.4 percent in the month, with household fuels slumping 0.9 percent even as motor fuel edged up 0.1 percent.
-- Food prices were flat.
-- Medical care costs surged 0.3 percent. Democratic senator John Kerry is brandishing high health costs in his campaign to oust President George W. Bush in the November 2 presidential election.
-- Housing prices gained 0.2 percent, boosted by 2.9 percent rise in the cost of lodging away from home.
-- Prices also rose 0.2 percent for transportation, 0.2 percent for recreation, 0.6 percent for education, 0.3 percent for communication and 0.3 percent for cigarettes.
-- Clothing prices were unchanged.
In whole of the third quarter, consumer prices rose at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 0.6 percent, after gains of 5.1 percent in the first quarter and 4.8 percent in the second quarter.
In the first nine months of 2004, prices were up by an annual rate of 3.5 percent, after a gain of 1.9 percent in the whole of 2003.