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The U.S. Consumer Price Index rose 0.6% in September, accelerating from a 0.4% increase in August, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Gasoline prices climbed 9.1% and accounted for more than half of the monthly increase, while core CPI rose 0.3%, matching August.
U.S. consumer prices rose 0.6% in September, accelerating from a 0.4% increase in August, as gasoline prices jumped 9.1%, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said. The gasoline increase accounted for more than half of the monthly rise in the overall Consumer Price Index, while the index excluding food and energy increased 0.3%.
The BLS reported that the all-items CPI increased 3.7% over the 12 months through September, measured before seasonal adjustment. The agency’s monthly figures are seasonally adjusted: the overall index rose 0.6% in September, compared with 0.4% in August.
The energy index climbed 5.2% in September, after a 2.1% increase the previous month. Gasoline was the main contributor to the monthly overall rise, according to the report. The figures establish that energy costs rose during the month; they do not, by themselves, explain the causes of those price changes.
Shelter costs rose 0.4% in September, following a 0.3% increase in August. The index for all items less food and energy rose 0.3%, the same monthly rate recorded in August. The BLS also reported monthly increases in recreation, used cars and trucks, education, airline fares, medical care and apparel. Communication was among the few major indexes to decline.
Gasoline Drove the Monthly Increase
The September figures show that the monthly increase was concentrated heavily in gasoline and broader energy costs. Because gasoline accounted for more than half of the overall rise, fuel prices were a major influence on the headline CPI result, even as the measure excluding food and energy held at August’s 0.3% pace.
That difference matters to households and businesses because energy costs affect budgets directly and can vary sharply from month to month. A rise in the overall CPI can signal that consumers are facing higher prices across the measured basket, but this report does not show that every household experienced the same increase. The index tracks average price changes, and individual costs depend on what people buy and where they live.
The data also give policymakers, businesses and consumers a fresh measure of price pressures. The figures document September’s changes; they do not determine what prices will do in later months or establish whether the increase will persist.
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August and September CPI Readings
The BLS report compares September with both the previous month and the same month a year earlier. On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, the overall index rose 0.4% in August and 0.6% in September. The 12-month figure of 3.7% is a separate comparison covering the year through September and is reported before seasonal adjustment.
Core CPI, defined in the report as all items less food and energy, increased 0.3% in both August and September. That measure leaves out food and energy prices, which can move differently from other categories. It should not be read as a complete account of household expenses; shelter, medical care, apparel and other items remain part of the index.
The September report was published by the BLS on October 14, 2026, as reported by Hardware Retailing. The figures supplied in that report describe price-index changes, not a forecast or an explanation of the forces behind each category’s movement.
“The Consumer Price Index increased 0.6% on a seasonally adjusted basis in September after rising 0.4% in August.”
— U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, as reported by Hardware Retailing
What the September Data Cannot Show
The report gives the measured price changes but does not identify why gasoline and energy prices rose in September. It also does not establish whether those increases will continue, reverse or affect other prices in future months. A single month’s result cannot confirm a lasting change in the inflation trend.
The supplied report does not provide a forecast, a detailed breakdown of the forces affecting individual categories, or estimates of how the CPI changes translate into costs for particular households. It also does not report a September food-index figure. The headline and core measures therefore should not be treated as a complete account of every price change consumers faced.
Upcoming Inflation Data to Watch
The next CPI release will show whether the September pattern continued, including whether energy and gasoline prices kept rising and how shelter and other categories changed. Until that report is published, September’s figures remain a snapshot of price movements during that month rather than evidence of what comes next.
Readers can compare later monthly CPI results with September’s 0.6% headline increase and 0.3% increase excluding food and energy. The next release may add evidence about the direction of inflation, but its findings and timing are not specified in the source material provided here.
Key Questions
How much did U.S. inflation rise in September?
The Consumer Price Index rose 0.6% in September on a seasonally adjusted basis, according to the BLS. It increased 0.4% in August.
What drove the September CPI increase?
Gasoline prices rose 9.1% and accounted for more than half of the monthly increase in the all-items index. The broader energy index rose 5.2%.
What was the 12-month inflation rate?
The all-items index increased 3.7% over the 12 months through September, before seasonal adjustment, according to the BLS.
Did core inflation accelerate in September?
The index for all items less food and energy rose 0.3% in September, matching its 0.3% increase in August.
Does the report show whether inflation will keep rising?
No. The report records price changes in September but does not establish what will happen in later months. Upcoming CPI data will provide further evidence.
Source: rss
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