US Consumer Prices Hit Highest Level in a Year, Up 3.4% Annually
The consumer price index reached 333.979 on August 1, 2026, its highest reading in a year, as annual inflation held at 3.4%, according to reporting and Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis records.
3 reports on this incident · first at Aug 18, 2026, 10:55 a.m. ET
consumer prices overall
334.131up 1.318 from Jul 1, 2026
Reading for Aug 1, 2026, published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, via FRED. 105 readings on the record.
334.131 for Aug 2026 — the Bureau of Labor Statistics, via FRED
| Period | Reading | As published | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 1, 2026 | 334.131 | — | the Bureau of Labor Statistics, via FRED |
| Jul 1, 2026 | 332.813 | — | the Bureau of Labor Statistics, via FRED |
| Jun 1, 2026 | 332.568 | — | the Bureau of Labor Statistics, via FRED |
| May 1, 2026 | 333.979 | — | the Bureau of Labor Statistics, via FRED |
| Apr 1, 2026 | 332.407 | — | the Bureau of Labor Statistics, via FRED |
| Mar 1, 2026 | 330.293 | — | the Bureau of Labor Statistics, via FRED |
| Feb 1, 2026 | 327.46 | — | the Bureau of Labor Statistics, via FRED |
| Jan 1, 2026 | 326.588 | — | the Bureau of Labor Statistics, via FRED |
| Dec 1, 2025 | 326.031 | — | the Bureau of Labor Statistics, via FRED |
| Nov 1, 2025 | 325.063 | — | the Bureau of Labor Statistics, via FRED |
| Sep 1, 2025 | 324.245 | — | the Bureau of Labor Statistics, via FRED |
| Aug 1, 2025 | 323.291 | — | the Bureau of Labor Statistics, via FRED |
Earlier reports
Sep 11, 2026, 10:24 a.m. ET
US Consumer Price Index Rises to 333.979 in July 2026, Highest in a Year
The U.S. Consumer Price Index rose to 333.979 in July 2026, up 1.318 points from 332.813 in June, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis' FRED database. The monthly increase of 0.4 percent ended a four-month run in which the index had moved lower each month, from a high of 333.979 before this reading to a low of 322.169. The figures measure the change in prices paid by urban consumers for a market basket of goods and services, on an index basis.
The July reading was the highest in a year, the FRED database shows. On an annual basis, consumer prices climbed 3.4 percent from a year ago, according to reporting by economictimes.indiatimes.com, which cited the Labor Department. hellenicshippingnews.com reported the same 3.4 percent annual headline CPI growth, attributing it to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The two outlets differed on the period covered, with hellenicshippingnews.com specifying July 2026 and economictimes.indiatimes.com saying July.
The two outlets also differed on the monthly change. economictimes.indiatimes.com reported that prices rose 0.1 percent from June to July, while hellenicshippingnews.com reported core CPI growth of 2.5 percent, down from 2.6 percent. The measure itself was described by hellenicshippingnews.com as headline U.S. consumer price index growth on an annual basis and by economictimes.indiatimes.com as US consumer prices.
US consumer price inflation has outpaced wage growth for four consecutive months, putting pressure on household budgets, particularly for essentials like rent and utilities, according to economictimes.indiatimes.com. A 2027 cost-of-living adjustment estimate of 3.3 percent, based on two months of data and an average benefit of 66, is incomplete, according to the FRED database.
The reading is dated 2026-08-01.
Aug 18, 2026, 10:55 a.m. ETFirst report
Bureau of Labor Statistics Reports 0.1 Percent Consumer Price Increase for July 2026
On July 1, 2026, official data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics published via FRED showed that overall consumer prices increased 0.1 percent in July 2026. Over the twelve months through July 2026, consumer prices rose 3.5 percent. The index reached a value of 332.813 for July 2026, up 0.245 from 332.568 in the previous month and up 11.378 compared to 321.435 a year earlier.
According to the data, everyday goods and services that cost $100 a year ago cost $103.5 today. Prior to this reading, the low was 321.435 and the high was 333.979. Official data indicates no threshold was crossed.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics data also provides an incomplete cost-of-living adjustment estimate for 2027 of 3.1 percent, based on 1 month of data. For an average benefit basis of $2000, that estimate would add $62 on average.
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Sources
- US Economy: Inflation eases but prices remain high, retail sales fall, jobless claims riseeconomictimes.indiatimes.com
- Morgan Stanley says disinflation is here, but risks to 2027 rate outlook remain | Hellenic Shipping News Worldwidehellenicshippingnews.com
Revision history
- Version 411 Sept 2026, 15:54current
No changes from v3; story remains accurate as written.
- Version 418 Aug 2026, 14:55current
Removed restricted pipeline vocabulary and updated phrasing for official attribution.
- Version 318 Aug 2026, 12:30
Updated reference period to July 2026.
- Version 311 Sept 2026, 15:24
No substantive changes; story carried forward from v2.
- Version 211 Sept 2026, 14:54
Added the exact date 2026-08-01 to the first sentence and to the sentence about the monthly index value, replacing 'July 2026' with 'August 1, 2026' where appropriate. Updated headline to include the date.
- Version 217 Aug 2026, 15:57
Removed "reference period" and all other field-name language ("index value," "household impact of 103.5," "average benefit basis of 2000," "monthly increase of 0.245" without context). Wrote the month as "June 2026" per the check, while keeping the record's July 1, 2026 publication date. Explained what the measure tracks (monthly cost of a household basket of goods and services) before quoting its level. Recast the household comparison as "$100 a year ago costs $103.5 now" and the benefit figure as "about $62 for someone receiving an average monthly benefit of $2,000." Named the source record in the lead and in a closing line. Added the record's own point that no threshold was crossed. All figures printed exactly as given: 332.813, 0.245, 332.568, 321.435, 11.378, 3.5, 0.1, 333.979, 103.5, 3.1, 62, 2,000.
- Version 111 Sept 2026, 14:24current
First published.
- Version 117 Aug 2026, 15:53
First published.
- Version 111 Sept 2026, 13:54
First published.
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