Gasoline drove more than half of September’s 0.6% CPI rise

U.S. consumer prices rose 0.6% in September, the largest monthly increase since April, and were 3.7% higher than a year earlier. The gasoline index rose 9.1% during the month and accounted for more than half of the overall monthly increase, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported October 14.

The September figures accelerated from August: the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) rose 0.4% that month and was up 3.4% over the 12 months through August. The monthly increase was 0.2 percentage point larger in September, while the 12-month rate was 0.3 percentage point higher.

Energy rose as monthly core CPI held at 0.3% i

Energy prices rose 5.2% in September, compared with 2.1% in August, and were 20.4% higher than a year earlier. The gasoline index’s 9.1% monthly increase was the standout movement; gasoline was also up 34.2% over 12 months.

By comparison, CPI excluding food and energy—often called core CPI—rose 0.3% in September, matching August. Its 12-month increase nevertheless edged up to 2.6% from 2.4%. That contrast shows why the monthly and annual figures answer different questions: the monthly core measure was unchanged from August, while its comparison with a year earlier increased.

Food prices were unchanged overall in September and rose 2.5% over 12 months. Food purchased for home consumption, a narrower measure than the overall food index, fell 0.1% for the month and increased 1.8% over the year.

What the CPI-U measures i

The 0.6% figure measures the September change; the 3.7% figure compares the September index with its level a year earlier. Neither means that prices changed by that amount for every household. The CPI-U tracks average price changes for urban consumers, a group the BLS says represents more than 90% of the U.S. population, and individual spending patterns can differ from that average.

The October CPI report is scheduled for November 10, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. Eastern.