TOKYO -- Japan's core consumer price index rose 2.9% in October from a year earlier, climbing for the first time in four months, according to official data released on Friday by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.
Core inflation, which excludes volatile fresh foods, rose from September's 13-month low of 2.8% after electricity and energy subsidies, which started in January, were slashed in half. Electricity bills and gas prices respectively fell 16.8% and 10.2% in October, slower than the declines of 24.6% and 12.5% in September.
