Core consumer prices, which exclude food and energy, rose 0.3% in September 2026 and 2.6% over the year, up from 2.4% in August, the lowest annual reading since March 2021.

Used as evidence for

• Inflation is no longer only about fuel: prices excluding food and energy are rising again.

  Supports

• Core inflation of 2.6% is close to the Fed’s 2% target, and a month earlier it was the lowest since 2021.

  Supports