This section covers inflation in the United States — price levels across goods and services, the data that measures them and the economic and policy conditions that drive and respond to them. Reporting connects the numbers to what they mean for households and the broader economy.
A Penn State study finds rising grocery costs are associated with greater food insufficiency and worse mental health among U.S. households.
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November 8, 2026
Airline Award Tickets Rise 32% for ThanksgivingFrequent flyer miles buy less holiday travel as airlines shift to dynamic pricing and fuel costs climb.
November 8, 2026
Proposal Would Cut Grocery Costs by $315 YearlyKitchen Table Project pitches a federal purchasing partnership covering 20 grocery staples, though the plan remains unadopted.
November 7, 2026
States Join Federal Suit Over Dollar General OverchargesTwenty state attorneys general have joined a lawsuit alleging the retailer systematically overcharged customers at its stores.
November 7, 2026
Oil Prices Could Push Rates Higher, Analyst SaysBank of America's rates strategist warns that rising energy costs could lift borrowing costs as the Federal Reserve weighs inflation.
November 6, 2026
Libraries Draw Cost-Conscious AmericansRising living costs are pushing more Americans back to public libraries for free books, streaming and events.
November 6, 2026
Consumer Sentiment Rises 6.3% to 51Consumers feel slightly more optimistic, though high prices still weigh heavily on household living standards.
November 6, 2026
Dry Whey Prices Hit Record HighsU.S. dry whey prices reached record levels in October as exports surged.
November 6, 2026
Gas Prices Could Take Months to NormalizeEconomist Ali Bustamante says fuel costs may stay elevated for months or longer, a central concern for voters after the 2026 midterms.
November 5, 2026
Menu Prices Fade Fast in Inflation ExpectationsA Michigan State University study finds restaurant price increases shift consumer inflation views only briefly, while grocery increases linger.
November 5, 2026
Turkey Prices Climb Ahead of ThanksgivingWholesale and retail turkey prices are higher than a year ago even as production has rebounded.
CPI and PCE data releases and how they compare to prior readings and forecasts, category-level price movements in groceries, housing, energy and services, the Federal Reserve's stated inflation outlook and policy response, and the effects of price levels on household budgets and business planning are the central subjects here. New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston and Phoenix are the metropolitan areas where housing and consumer price data most often drive the national averages, and local price conditions in those cities frequently anchor the coverage of how inflation registers in everyday life. Shelter costs have generated the most persistent sub-category coverage within inflation reporting, since housing price and rent trends affect the widest share of the population and move slowly enough to sustain months of coverage. The gap between headline inflation readings and what individuals experience in their own spending has become a recurring interpretive subject, as aggregate measures and personal experience frequently diverge.
