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The consumer price index increased 0.5% in Febuary, the Labor Department said Thursday.

The gain in the government’s main inflation gauge was the largest since June 2009 and followed a 0.4% increase in January.

The increase was higher than economists’ estimates of a 0.4% increase. The so-called core rate excluding food and energy increased 0.2%, the same as the month before and also more than forecast.

Almost 60% of the CPI covers prices consumers pay for services. If consumer prices are climbing, it could reflect an increase in demand for consumer goods, which increases the demand for trucking services.