Inflation heats up as gas prices surge

Data: Bureau of Labor Statistics ; Chart: Courtenay Brown/Axios U.S. inflation picked up in September as soaring energy prices added to already stubborn price pressures, the Labor Department said on Wednesday. Why it matters: The latest Consumer Price Index shows that the inflation fight is far from over — and makes further Federal Reserve interest rate hikes more likely as Americans struggle with higher costs. By the numbers: CPI rose 0.6% in September from the prior month, with the annual infl