September Inflation Rises by a Scant 0.2% : Economy: Several other reports point to further stagnation. Average earnings take biggest drop in nearly two years.

Consumer prices rose a tiny 0.2% in September despite a big jump in fruit and vegetable prices, the government said Thursday in a report showing that the weak economy was keeping a lid on inflation.

In new signs of lethargy, economists pointed to two other reports, which showed that Americans’ average weekly earnings plummeted 1.3% in September, the biggest setback in nearly two years, while businesses continued to accumulate unwanted inventories in August.

Even a report that the number of Americans filing first-time claims for unemployment benefits fell sharply in early October failed to lift economists’ gloom.

They said there was little evidence that the economy was poised to begin growing enough to make significant inroads into the unemployment rate.

“All the reports are consistent with the sluggish, languid growth path that we have been on,” said Robert Dederick, chief economist of the Northern Trust Co. of Chicago. “The economy is still struggling.”

Among the economic reports Thursday:

* The 0.2% rise in the Labor Department’s consumer price index left retail prices rising at an annual rate of 2.9% through the first nine months of the year. If that rate holds, it would be the second-best inflation performance in 27 years. For September, fruit and vegetable prices jumped sharply for a second straight month, but virtually every other category, including energy, showed moderation.

In Southern California, consumer prices rose 0.3% last month, according to Sam Hirabayashi, the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ regional commissioner. He said lower shelter and apparel costs were more than offset by higher prices in other categories of consumer spending, particularly food and public transportation.

* The 1.3% plunge in average weekly earnings was the biggest drop since October, 1990, and reflected declines in the average number of hours worked and average earnings. The earnings decline was the third in the last four months.

* The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits fell to 383,000 for the week ending Oct. 3, the lowest level in seven weeks and the second straight big decline. The drop of 16,000 reflected big declines in claims applications in Florida and Hawaii, which analysts attributed to the work force stabilizing after disruptions caused by recent hurricanes.

* Business inventories climbed 0.3% to $838.1 billion in August, the sixth increase in eight months, while business sales suffered the biggest drop over the same period, 1.2%. Economists said the combination of rising levels of unsold goods and slumping sales would very likely translate into production cutbacks in the months ahead.

The September inflation report was used by the government to compute the benefit increase for Social Security recipients.

Based on the low inflation rate, 44 million Social Security recipients will get a 3% increase in benefits next year, the lowest advance in six years.

The increase will boost the average monthly Social Security check by $19 to $653.

Consumer Price Index

Percent change from prior month, seasonally adjusted.

Sept., ‘92: +0.2%

Aug., ‘92: +0.3%

Sept., ‘91: +0.4%