MACRO · INFLATION
US consumer price inflation
The rise in the US consumer price index compared with the same month a year earlier.
Current value3.7%+0.4 ppChange from previous observation · as of Sep 1, 2026
Latest value
Published monthly| Current value | 3.7% |
|---|---|
| Observation date | Sep 1, 2026 |
| Published | Monthly |
| vs previous observation | +0.4 pp |
| vs 1 month ago | +0.4 pp |
| vs 1 year ago | +0.7 pp |
| Past-year range | 2.4% to 4.2% |
| Position in range | 72% (0% = 1-year low, 100% = 1-year high) |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: All Items in U.S. City Average [CPIAUCSL], retrieved from FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
What this number measures
The consumer price index tracks the prices of the basket of goods and services that urban consumers actually pay for. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes it every month.
The index itself is set to 100 at a base period, so a value such as 300 alone does not show how much prices rose. Jupick therefore converts the index into the rise from the same month a year earlier instead of showing the index itself.
How it is calculated and when it is released
This month's index divided by the index 12 months earlier, minus 1, times 100. The series is first aligned to a monthly grid, so if a month is missing, that comparison is left out of the result.
Released once a month, with a lag after the reference month ends. The observation date therefore always points to last month or earlier.
What this number does not tell you
- It is based on the spending basket of an average household, so it can differ from the inflation an individual feels. Households that spend more than average on health care or housing may feel a higher rise.
- It covers US urban consumers. Korean prices are published separately by Statistics Korea and are not part of this value.
- It is not a complete measure of the cost of living. The agency that compiles it also states that it differs in important ways from a complete cost of living index.
Common misreadings
- Does a lower rate mean prices fell?
A drop from 4% to 2% means prices are rising more slowly, not that they fell. For the price level itself to fall, this value has to go below zero.
- Confusing index points with the rate
A change in index points depends on how high the index currently is, while the rate does not. A large move in the index does not mean a high rate.
- Thinking it is today's inflation
Prices are published monthly with a lag. There is no inflation figure for today's date.
※ This explains the definition and past observations of the indicator. It does not forecast future values or market direction.
Other indicators in this group (Inflation)
This page is information based on public data and is not advice on any stock or financial product. The indicators summarize current and past facts and do not forecast the future.