- The consumer price index showed annual inflation of 3.7% in September after rising 0.6% for the month, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Wednesday.
- The Core CPI, which strips out food and energy, posted an annual reading of 2.6% after climbing 0.3%.
- Energy prices were a major factor again as gasoline rose 9.1% and accounted for half the increase in the index.
- However, price pressures were broad-based, with gains in shelter, vehicle costs and apparel.
September brought little relief to the accelerating cost of living, as consumer prices increased again and kept the inflation rate well above the Federal Reserve’s goal.
The consumer price index, a broad measure of goods and services costs across the U.S. economy, rose a seasonally adjusted 0.6% for the month, putting the 12-month rate at 3.7%, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Wednesday. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones expected respective gains of 0.6% and 3.6%.
Stripping out volatile food and energy costs, the so-called core CPI rose 0.3% for the month and was up 2.6% on an annual basis, compared with respective estimates for 0.2% and 2.5%.
The annual rate for headline inflation was 3.4% in August while the core rate was 2.4%.
Surging energy costs were again the primary culprit in the inflation picture. The energy index jumped 5.2% as tensions continued between the U.S. and Iran in a war launched in late February that shows no signs of ending anytime soon.
Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2026/10/14/cpi-inflation-report-september-2026.html