(AURN News) — Prices are climbing again. New government figures show the annual inflation rate rose to 3.7% in September, up from 3.4% in August. In September alone, consumer prices jumped 0.6%. That’s one of the biggest monthly increases this year.
The main driver was the price of gasoline. Gas averaged $4.33 a gallon in September, according to AAA. A year ago, it was $3.16. The war with Iran has pushed fuel prices higher, driving up transportation costs and putting additional pressure on prices for groceries and other goods.
Excluding food and energy, the annual inflation rate was 2.6%, but families can’t exclude those essentials from their budgets. This is the final monthly consumer inflation report before the Nov. 3 midterm elections, now just 20 days away.
During his campaign, President Donald Trump promised to bring prices down starting on day one. Instead, the cost of living is still climbing.
