New data released Friday showed inflation heated up in September to a pace not seen since January, according to the first dataset to be released during the government shutdown.

The September consumer price index showed prices rising at a 3 percent annual rate — up slightly from 2.9 percent in August and above April’s post-pandemic low of 2.3 percent , according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Gasoline prices, which edged down over the past year — providing some relief to consumers — nonetheless jumped 4.1 percent in September and were the largest factor in a 0.3 percent monthly increase.

Core inflation, which excludes food and energy and is seen as a steadier gauge of underlying pressures, eased slightly to a 3 percent annual rate.

Annual inflation rate, consumer price index

The

See Full Page