The Consumer Price Index cooled more than expected in October: it rose 7.7% from a year earlier, down from 8.2% the prior month, the Labor Department said on Thursday.

Why it matters: Inflation still remains painfully high, but a bigger-than-expected easing in price pressures for items like used cars and apparel helped pull the overall index down.

By the numbers: On a monthly basis, CPI rose 0.4%, the same pace as September.

• Core CPI, a closely watched gauge that strips out volatile food and energy costs, eased in October. On a monthly basis, it rose 0.3% — up 6.3% from a year ago.
• In September, those figures were 0.6% and 6.6%, respectively.

Catch up quick: Soaring costs have eroded many Americans’ wage gains, souring their view on the economy that has otherwise held up.

• Supply chain problems have led to shortages of vehicles and other consumer goods, which pushed up prices. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has created a volatile backdrop for energy costs.
• Those supply chain pressures have eased and consumers have dialed back demand for goods, pushing prices down. But costs for services have raced ahead.

Where it stands: The Fed has raced to try to get inflation under control, raising interest rates at a historic clip.

• In recent months, inflation data has surprised to the upside. That’s kept officials on an aggressive path to slow the economy down, with the hope inflation will follow suit. Those moves have risked throwing the economy into a recession.