WASHINGTON — U.S. producer prices rose 0.4% in October,

the biggest jump in six months, reflecting a surge in energy costs.

The Labor Department said Thursday that the October increase in its producer price index, which measures price pressures before they reach consumers, followed a 0.3% decrease in September.

Core prices, which exclude volatile food and energy costs, rose 0.3% in October. Over the past year, wholesale prices are up a modest 1.1% while core prices have risen 1.6%.

On Wednesday, the government reported that consumer prices rose 0.4% in October, the fastest pace since March, with that gain also driven by a surge in energy prices.

Overall consumer prices have risen 1.8% over the past year, still below the Federal Reserve’s 2% target. Core retail prices increased 2.3%.

The Fed has cut interest rates three times this year, after increasing its key rate four times last year. The turn-about was prompted by a slowing global economy and rising uncertainties from the Trump administration’s trade war with China.

While investors would like to see a fourth rate cut in December, Fed Chairman Jerome Powell told Congress Wednesday that the current level of interest rates was ” likely to remain appropriate ” as long as the economy does not weaken further.

In a separate report Thursday, the government said that the number of Americans filing claims for unemployment benefits shot up by 14,000 last week to 225,000, the highest level since June.