Inflation rises 5.4 percent from year ago, a 13-year high

Consumer prices rose 0.4percent last month, slightly higher than August’s gain and pushing annual inflation back to the highest increase in 13 years. The consumer price index rose 5.4 percent in September from a year ago, up slightly from August’s gain of 5.3 percent and matching the increases in June and July. Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, core inflation rose 0.2 percent in September and 4 percent compared with a year ago. Core prices hit a three-decade high of 4.5percent in June.