Inflation rate hit 3.0% in September, lower than expected, long-awaited CPI report shows
Source: CNBC
Published Fri, Oct 24 2025 8:31 AM EDT | Updated 2 Min Ago
Prices that people pay for a variety of goods and services rose less than expected in September, according to a Bureau of Labor Statistics report Friday that keeps the door wide open for another interest rate cut next week.
The consumer price index showed a 0.3% increase on the month, putting the annual inflation rate at 3%. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones had been looking for respective readings of 0.4% and 3.1%. The annual rate reflected a 0.1 percentage point uptick from August.
Excluding food and energy, core CPI showed a 0.2% monthly gain and an annual rate also at 3%, compared to respective estimates of 0.3% and 3.1%, the latter being unchanged from a month ago. Core CPI on a monthly basis had posted 0.3% gains in both July and August.
The CPI reading is the only official economic data allowed to be released during the government shutdown.

Read more: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/10/24/cpi-inflation-september-2025.html
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CPI for all items rises 0.3% in September; gasoline up https://bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm
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8:32 AM · Oct 24, 2025
Article updated.
Previous articles -
Prices that people pay for a variety of goods and services rose less than expected in September, according to a Bureau of Labor Statistics report Friday that is the only official economic data allowed to be released during the government shutdown.
The consumer price index showed a 0.3% increase on the month, putting the annual inflation rate at 3%. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones had been looking for respective readings of 0.4% and 3.1%. The annual rate reflected a 0.1 percentage point uptick from August.
Excluding food and energy, core CPI showed a 0.2% monthly gain and an annual rate also at 3%, compared to respective estimates of 0.3% and 3.1%, the latter being unchanged from a month ago. Core CPI on a monthly basis had posted 0.3% gains in both July and August. A 4.1% jump in gasoline prices was the largest contributor to a report that otherwise showed inflation pressures fairly muted.
Food prices showed a 0.2% increase. Commodity prices overall rose 0.5%. On an annual basis, energy was up 2.8% and food rose 3.1%. Shelter costs, which comprise about one-third of the weighting in the CPI, rose just 0.2% and were up 3.6% from a year ago. Services excluding shelter costs also were 0.2% higher. New vehicles saw a 0.8% increase, but used cars and truck prices fell 0.4%. The report provides a glimpse into the state of the U.S. economy at a time when all other data releases have been suspended.
Prices that people pay for a variety of goods and services rose less than expected in September, according to a Bureau of Labor Statistics report Friday that is the only official economic data allowed to be released during the government shutdown.
The consumer price index showed a 0.3% increase on the month, putting the annual inflation rate at 3%. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones had been looking for respective readings of 0.4% and 3.1%. The annual rate reflected a 0.1 percentage point uptick from August.
Excluding food and energy, core CPI showed a 0.2% monthly gain and an annual rate also at 3%, compared to respective estimates of 0.3% and 3.1%, the latter being unchanged from a month ago.
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Original article -
The annual inflation rate was expected to be 3.1% in September, according to the Dow Jones consensus estimate.
This is breaking news. Please refresh for updates.
Johnny2X2X
(23,522 posts)3.0% vs 3.1% expected. 0.3% month over month vs 0.4% expected.
So it was a bad report, just not as bad as economists expected.
sinkingfeeling
(56,655 posts)Lovie777
(20,803 posts)groundloop
(13,389 posts)There's no reason to believe anything that comes out of this administration.
LetMyPeopleVote
(171,858 posts)Prairie Gates
(6,593 posts)bucolic_frolic
(52,927 posts)We are so screwed. AI job losses are coming. Federal spending is zero right now. Economy runs on consumer spending. There is no uptick in all that so this disinflation number is predictable though quite mild. There is such confusion and panic that no one knows what to think or do. So we trudge along. By 2027 we'll be Dickensian America.
travelingthrulife
(3,604 posts)card.
LetMyPeopleVote
(171,858 posts)hadEnuf
(3,436 posts)Trump has fired everybody who spoke the truth.
progree
(12,464 posts)Last edited Fri Oct 24, 2025, 10:34 AM - Edit history (2)
both annualized, calculated using actual index values
Standard template words coming later when I update its table
It's not comforting to me at all that the last 3 months have averaged 3.6% (annualized) for both the CPI and the core CPI. The 3 month average is my favorite gauge of RECENT inflation. The 1 month number can be dismissed as a "one off", while the 12 month average (year-over-year) has too much old data in it to be considered a good measure of RECENT inflation -- half the months are March 2025 or older, for example. Four of the months are Biden-era months.
Regular CPI

Core CPI -- Regular CPI less food and energy

From the OP, 12 month aka year-over-year

-misanthroptimist
(1,482 posts)They'll tell any lie they can think of if it lets them off the hook for something.
And, when the evidence of my own eyes conflicts with anything they say -like the inflation rate, then there's no reason to give them the slightest benefit of the doubt.
twodogsbarking
(16,356 posts)littlemissmartypants
(30,431 posts)That explains why the fresh baked Italian bread at my grocery store has gone from $1.75 to $2.75 a loaf. I won't be buying it anymore.
Inflation, price gouging, belt tightening by consumers, decreases in availability and increased production/transportation/operating expenses are going to be a fun ride. Fasten your seat belts.😛🎢
republianmushroom
(21,746 posts)FredGarvin
(718 posts)Rate cuts will accelerate inflation.
IronLionZion
(50,154 posts)It is worse today than last fall when voters claim it was their biggest election issue.
America is back baby. MAGA!
progree
(12,464 posts)The last 2 months before the election (August and Sept 2024) had 12-month inflation at 2.6% and 2.4% respectively.
The last 2 months as of today (August and Sept 2025) have 12-month inflation at 2.9% and 3.0% respectively.
(The October 2024 inflation report was not released until several days after the election)
The last 2 months before the election had the latest 3-month average annualized inflation at 1.3% and 2.2% respectively.
The last 2 months as of today have the latest 3-month average annualized inflation at 3.5% and 3.6% respectively.
IronLionZion
(50,154 posts)Trump's economic policies are bringing prices down but in an upward direction. Just like all of his fabulous promises.
EuterpeThelo
(85 posts)the cooking of the books begins, along with our collective goose.