BUSINESS MEMO: CONSUMER PRICES UP

A record rise in fuel oil prices along with a steep increase in gasoline costs drove up consumer prices by 0.5 percent in February the biggest monthly gain since last April.

The jolt in the Consumer Price Index, the most closely watched inflation gauge, came from a huge 4.6 percent increase in energy prices, the biggest jump in 10 months, the Labor Department said Friday. It was a slightly worse showing on inflation than many analysts anticipated.

But outside the volatile energy and food categories, prices were mostly well-behaved. The "core" rate of inflation rose a mild 0.2 percent in February, the same-sized gain recorded in January and was right on target with many analysts' expectations, something that heartened some economists and investors.