Inflation continues to heat up as consumers feel strained everywhere from the gas pump to the grocery store aisle.
The Consumer Price Index rose 3% over the prior year in September and 0.3% from August, with the monthly hike driven by higher gas, energy, and food prices, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The highly anticipated inflation report was delayed by 10 days due to the government shutdown, which has left official economic data at a standstill.
Here’s what the latest CPI report means for your household.
Learn more: What is the Consumer Price Index (CPI)?
Food prices were up 0.2% on a monthly basis in September — not quite as bad as the 0.5% increase seen from July to August. Still, prices are up 3.1% from a year ago as classic kitchen staples become more expensive.
Consider coffee prices, which are up 18.9% from a year ago despite sliding by a modest 0.1% between August and September. Other breakfast items, including the category that features fresh sweetrolls, coffee cakes, and doughnuts, are also marching higher.
Then there’s beef. Prices for beef and veal overall are 14.7% higher than a year ago, with ground beef in particular 12.9% higher in price than last September. Other meat price hikes are a bit easier to digest: chicken is up 1.5% from last September, and pork chops are up 0.3%.
Meanwhile, Americans shopping for chocolate bars and gummies ahead of Halloween might be a bit frightened by their grocery receipt. Candy and chewing gum prices overall are up 9.8% from last year, and rose 0.5% between August and September.
But eggs — a particular pain point for consumers in the spring, though perhaps not the ideal Halloween treat — have continued to decline in price, and are down 1.3% from a year ago and plummeted 4.7% from a month earlier. A dozen large Grade A eggs cost an average of $3.49 in September, compared to $3.82 last September.
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Economists and consumers alike are on high alert for signs of President Trump’s sweeping global tariffs showing up at the cash register. Core inflation, which strips out volatile food and energy, rose 3% year over year in September, while climbing just 0.2% from a month earlier.
Import-heavy categories that saw notable increases include home furnishings and canned foods.
“Tariffs are still pushing up goods prices and the passthrough is broadening, with clothing, furniture and personal goods prices all posting strong gains,” Michael Pearce, deputy chief US economist at Oxford Economics, said in a statement. “We estimate tariffs have added 0.4ppts to headline inflation. Assuming tariffs do not rise much further from here, that one-off boost to goods prices from tariffs and the weaker dollar will begin to fade next year.”
Read more: How Trump’s tariffs affect your money
Shelter costs have eased from pandemic-era price spikes, but home affordability is still a strain for both renters and owners. Housing inflation rose 0.2% last month and is up 3.6% in the past year.
Those higher prices continue to keep many would-be homebuyers on the sidelines, even as mortgage rates tick lower. While existing home sales rose in September, for example, only 30% went to first-time homebuyers, who more frequently snap up cheaper houses. That’s far lower than historical averages in the high 30% to low 40% range.
Learn more: What does the latest CPI report reveal about mortgage rates?
Car prices, especially used cars, also spiked during the pandemic before settling recently. Used car prices, while up 5.1% from a year ago, slid 0.4% between August and September.
Actually using the car to travel, though, may be biting into consumers’ budgets. The gasoline index jumped 4.1% from August, though gas prices are 0.5% below year-ago levels.
September’s inflation data marked the highest reading since May, and remains well above the Federal Reserve’s target of 2%. Fed officials are expected to deliver another rate cut when they meet next week after slashing rates for the first time all year last month.
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