U.S. consumer prices jumped 0.6% in March, the biggest inflation surge in five months, as the costs of energy, clothing and airline fares all rose sharply.

The Labor Department said today that last month’s increase in the consumer price index, followed a 0.4% rise in February and left consumer inflation rising at an annual rate of 4.3% in the first three months of this year.

That was a full percentage point above the 3.3% rise in prices for all of 2004.

The core rate of inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy prisecs, rose by a worrisome 0.4% in March, double what economists had expected, reflecting higher prices for clothing, hotel rooms and airline tickets.

The surge in consumer prices contrasted with a report released on Tuesday that showed the core producer price index, rose by only half of what economists expected.