United States Headline CPI Will Rise in September

Economists forecast a monthly increase in consumer prices as gasoline and food costs climb.

Updated on Sept. 22, 2026 in Inflation

Bold flat-color editorial illustration featuring a petrol nozzle on a crate of grain and apples, representing rising consumer price indexes. — Economists project that the United States Headline Consumer Price Index will rise by 0.54% in September 2026, driven by higher food and gasoline costs. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Economists project that the United States Headline Consumer Price Index will increase by 0.54% in September 2026. This forecast follows an August 2026 increase of 0.40% in the headline index.

Why it matters

Rising consumer prices reflect shifting inflationary pressures across the national economy. These projections signal potential changes in cost-of-living metrics for households as food and fuel expenses accelerate.

Headline CPI is expected to climb 0.54% in September, with gasoline prices projected to jump nearly 8%. This follows an August CPI NSA index value of 336.510.

The players

TD Securities

This financial institution provides economic analysis and market forecasting for institutional clients.

The details

The projected rise in September is driven by an anticipated acceleration in food prices and significant upward pressure from gasoline costs. While headline inflation is expected to accelerate, the Core CPI is projected to increase by 0.20%, down from the 0.29% growth recorded in August.

August 2026: Headline CPI increased by 0.40%.
September 2026: Headline CPI is projected to rise by 0.54%.

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Macro View

This forecast provides a baseline for monitoring current inflationary trends against the August 2026 CPI report. Economic trajectories of this nature are compared to historical monthly cycles to determine if current price acceleration represents a sustained shift.

Expected increases in gasoline and food prices may impact monthly household budgets and grocery bills. Consumers should monitor these trends to better manage their personal spending throughout the remainder of the year.

The takeaway

Predicting monthly CPI shifts helps households anticipate changes in essential spending categories. Monitoring these inflationary projections is a vital step in adjusting family financial plans to align with current price growth.