Inflation Rose 0.4% in September with Core Prices at 4-Decade High

Washington, DC, October 13, 2022-The consumer price index for all urban consumers (CPI-U) rose 0.4% in September on a seasonally adjusted basis after rising 0.1% in August, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported.

Over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 8.2% before seasonal adjustment.

Increases in the shelter, food, and medical care indexes were the largest of many contributors to the monthly seasonally adjusted all items increase. These increases were partly offset by a 4.9% decline in the gasoline index. The food index continued to rise, increasing 0.8% over the month as the food at home index rose 0.7%. The energy index fell 2.1% over the month as the gasoline index declined, but the natural gas and electricity indexes increased.

The index for all items less food and energy rose 0.6% in September, as it did in August. The indexes for shelter, medical care, motor vehicle insurance, new vehicles, household furnishings and operations, and education were among those that increased over the month. There were some indexes that declined in September, including those for used cars and trucks, apparel, and communication.

According to the Wall Street Journal, “U.S. consumer inflation excluding energy and food accelerated to a new four-decade high in September as prices continued to surge, a sign that persistent cost increases are becoming entrenched in the economy.  

“The Labor Department on Thursday said that the so-called core measure of the consumer price index-which excludes volatile energy and food prices-gained 6.6% in September from a year earlier, up from 6.3% in August. That marked the biggest increase since August 1982. 

“On a monthly basis, the core CPI rose 0.6% in September, the same as in August, and up from 0.3% in July. Investors and policy makers follow core inflation closely as a reflection of broad, underlying inflation and as a predictor of future inflation.

“The overall CPI increased 8.2% in September from the same month a year ago, down from 8.3% in August. That was also lower than annual increases of 8.5% in July and 9.1% in June, which was the highest inflation rate in four decades. The CPI measures what consumers pay for goods and services.”