U.S. Stocks Open Higher as Inflation Ticks Higher in October

U.S. stocks opened higher even as inflation rose in October for the first time in 3 months. The government said the Consumer Price Index rose .2% last month. Still, inflation remains extremely low. From October 2014 to October 2015, consumer inflation rose a scant .2%. Part of the increase last month stemmed from seasonal adjustments that reflected a rise in energy prices even though the actual price of gasoline fell. Meanwhile, food prices edged up 0.1%, the smallest gain in five months. Inflation is something the Federal Reserve watches closely to know whether it has the flexibility to raise interest rates. Many market watchers believe the Fed is laying the ground work for an interest rate increase at its December meeting.