US inflation rises more than expected - here's what is happening with prices

Image source, Getty ImagesByRachel ClunBusiness reporter Updated 1 hour agoUS inflation rose by more than expected in the year to September, according to official figures, in the final data release before the midterm elections next month.

• It's rough out here': Americans struggle with rising inflation Published1 hour ago.

Publicado em 14 de outubro de 2026, 13:47 BST.

O ritmo de aumentos de preços aumentou para 3. 7%, em comparação com 3. 4% nos 12 meses até agosto.

Inflation was above forecasts, driven by higher gasoline prices which have risen following disruption to Middle East energy supplies due to the US-Israel conflict with Iran.

The elections are being fought over cost of living pressures across the US.

Inflation is the rate at which the price of products or services increase over time.

Funcionários do Bureau of Labor Statistics medem a inflação por meio do índice de preços ao consumidor (CPI).

It tracks the price changes of hundreds of day-to-day items including fresh food, gasoline and medical services to work out the overall level of inflation in the US economy.

Existem vários fatores que podem fazer a inflação subir.

If demand for a product outstrips its supply, that can lead to producers raising prices - the craze for Labubu dolls in recent years and the high resale prices are an example.

Rendimentos mais altos também podem levar a uma demanda maior, por exemplo, o que, por sua vez, eleva os preços.

Image source, ReutersImage caption, Supply and demand: Labubu dolls illustrate how inflation can rise.

Supply can also affect inflation. If supply of a product is reduced, but demand remains constant, that can cause prices to rise. A good example of this is crude oil, which is used to make gasoline and diesel.

What is the current rate of inflation.

A inflação subiu para 3,7% no ano até setembro, um aumento acima do esperado impulsionado pelos preços da gasolina.

Car fuel prices jumped by 34. 2% over 12 months.

Em apenas setembro, eles saltaram 9,1%, representando mais da metade do aumento na inflação, segundo o Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Overall, energy inflation was up by 20. 4% over the year as prices for fuel oil, energy services and electricity climbed. Fuel oil, used in home heating, was up 74.

Especialistas disseram que o US Federal Reserve – que define a taxa de juros do país – estará observando de perto para ver se os custos de energia começam a afetar outras áreas da economia, como preços de alimentos, e impulsionar a inflação para cima.

At the moment, food inflation remains subdued. It was flat over the month of September, and was 2. 5% across the year.

Core inflation, which strips out food and energy prices, was 2. 6%.

Will the inflation hike change Social Security payments.

Shortly after the latest inflation figure was released, the Social Security Administration announced that Social Security benefits including old age, survivors and disability insurance would rise by the same amount - 3.

The cost of living adjustment will take effect in January for about 72m people, while increased payments for the 7. 2m receiving the supplemental security income will start on 31 December.

Como as tarifas afetaram a inflação

Desde que assumiu o cargo pela segunda vez, o presidente Donald Trump introduziu tarifas na maioria dos parceiros comerciais dos EUA ao redor do mundo.

While most of the additional global levies were outlawed by the Supreme Court in February, the president immediately announced a new 10% global tariff to replace them.

Trump argued the tariffs would increase America's tax earnings, boost manufacturing and encourage people to buy US-made goods, but the higher import taxes have also had an impact on inflation, according to research from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

Fonte da imagem, ReutersLegenda da imagem, o presidente dos EUA Donald Trump aumentou tarifas.

Higher tariffs - which are levies that businesses pay on the goods they import - directly raise prices for US companies unless the overseas firms they are buying from lower prices to absorb some of the cost.

In response to the new tariffs, the New York Fed found exporters reduced prices very little, meaning US-based businesses ended up absorbing nearly 90% of the cost of the added tax.

Indirectly, higher tariffs also affected the prices of locally made goods, as many US producers rely on parts or materials from overseas.

Overall, the Fed found that every percentage point increase in average tariffs led to nearly a 0. 25% price increase for consumer goods after one year.

Enquanto a inflação está atualmente acima do que o Federal Reserve dos EUA gostaria - ele tem uma meta de 2% - ela tem sido muito mais alta nos anos anteriores.

During the Covid pandemic, issues such as supply chain disruption started pushing inflation up.

Ambos esses fatores ajudaram a impulsionar a inflação a um pico de cerca de 9%.

É importante observar que, se a inflação estiver subindo a um ritmo mais lento, isso não significa que os preços estejam caindo — simplesmente indica que os preços estão subindo em um ritmo mais lento.

A bit of inflation is considered good for an economy as the the Federal Reserve's target rate illustrates.

Many central banks consider inflation of about 2% or a little higher to be stable, and at a level that doesn't impact people's purchasing decisions.

Much below that, people can delay spending if they expect price rises to slow further, or to fall. That can lead to businesses reducing wages, or reducing the number of workers to cope with lower demand.

Which war is having the biggest impact on diesel prices - Iran or Ukraine.

Trump quer reduzir o custo do combustível enquanto as eleições de meio de mandato se aproximam - vai funcionar.