Rising rent and food prices for Americans

Consumer prices continued to rise in October as rents and the cost of food climbed even as gas came down from its recent peak, the government said.

Seasonally adjusted prices got a 0.1 percent boost in October from the previous month, according to the Labor Department. But the increase was smaller than the 0.6 percent surges in September and August.

October’s prices were up 2.2 percent from the year- earlier period.

The cost of food went up 0.2 percent last month from September, according to the report, with meat, poultry, fish, eggs, fruits and vegetables all experiencing price increases. Rents gained 0.4 percent, their largest rise since June 2008.

Americans got a breather, however, as energy prices slumped 0.2 percent. Gas prices slid 0.6 percent after soaring 7 percent in September and 9 percent in August.

Stripping the price index of energy and food, which tend to be volatile, brought core prices up 0.2 percent. Apparel costs and airline fares rose, while prices of new and used cars retreated.

A separate report from the American Farm Bureau Federation predicted that a typical Thanksgiving dinner will cost consumers 28 cents more than last year, bringing the price of the turkey feast up to $ 49.48 for a party of 10.