Brief
US consumer prices likely rose in September, adding pressure to Trump before midterms
The Labor Department’s upcoming CPI report is projected to show a 0.6% monthly rise, with gasoline up 7.1% and food costs climbing, fueling voter discontent.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Consumer prices in the United States are expected to have risen sharply in September, according to projections cited by the Independent, adding a new economic challenge for President Donald Trump ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.
What happened
The Labor Department’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) for September is forecast to increase by 0.6% month‑over‑month, up from a 0.4% gain in August. The rise is driven largely by gasoline, which the U.S. Energy Information Administration says jumped 7.1% in September, and food prices, projected to be at least 0.2% higher after two consecutive monthly gains of 0.1%.
For the 12‑month period ending in September, headline CPI is expected to reach 3.6%, a modest rise from August’s 3.4% rate. Core CPI – which excludes food and energy – is anticipated to show only a modest gain, offering limited relief to the Federal Reserve’s interest‑rate considerations.
What the reports add
The Independent notes that a Reuters/Ipsos poll found about 78% of Americans blame President Trump’s policies, including import tariffs and the U.S.–Israeli war with Iran, for the surge in living costs. The same source cites a finance professor, Sung Won Sohn, who says voters feel the impact of higher food and energy prices daily, especially those in the lower leg of a “K‑shaped” economy.
What was said
"People care about food and energy. That's what they feel every day," said Sung Won Sohn, a finance and economics professor at Loyola Marymount University, as reported by the Independent.
How it came about
Rising gas prices have been linked to supply and transportation disruptions in the Middle East, while food inflation reflects broader cost‑of‑living pressures that have already eroded President Trump’s approval ratings, according to earlier Independent coverage of gas‑price impacts on voters.
Key facts
- September CPI is projected to rise 0.6% month‑over‑month. (independent.co.uk)
- Gasoline prices jumped 7.1% in September, contributing about three‑tenths of a percentage point to the CPI increase. (independent.co.uk)
- Food prices are expected to rise at least 0.2% in September. (independent.co.uk)
- Annual headline CPI is forecast at 3.6% for the year to September. (independent.co.uk)
- 78% of Americans in a Reuters/Ipsos poll attribute rising prices to Trump’s policies. (independent.co.uk)
Sources
- [1] independent.co.uk — originally reported as “Trump faces fresh economic nightmare as food and gas prices soar before midterms”
