US petrol prices jump 9.1% in September
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What the chart shows
Inflation in the US reached 3.7% in the year to September, up from 3.4% in August, and most of the surprise came from petrol. Pump prices rose 9.1% in the month. Core inflation, without food and energy, was 2.6%.
Set beside every month since January 2022, September's rise is tall but not alone. In March this year petrol rose 21.2% in a single month, and in March 2022 it rose 16.3%. The falls between those spikes are why core inflation barely moves while the headline rate swings.
The question now is whether the Fed answers petrol with a rate rise this month. If it does, mortgage holders will feel it well before the oil price does.
The story behind it
Petrol pushed US inflation to 3.7%, and the Fed's next meeting is suddenly live Read the edition →On the calendar
The US releases that move markets, in New Zealand and Australian time. Economic calendar →The numbers
Monthly change in US petrol prices, seasonally adjusted, January 2022 to September 2026, in percent. Annual inflation reached 3.7%; core was 2.6%.
| Monthly change in US petrol prices | Dot | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2022 | −0.2% | |
| Feb 2022 | +3.3% | |
| Mar 2022 | +16.3% | |
| Apr 2022 | −6.1% | |
| May 2022 | +5.2% | |
| Jun 2022 | +10.3% | |
| Jul 2022 | −8.4% | |
| Aug 2022 | −10.7% | |
| Sep 2022 | −3.7% | |
| Oct 2022 | +4.5% | |
| Nov 2022 | −0.3% | |
| Dec 2022 | −8.1% | |
| Jan 2023 | +2.7% | |
| Feb 2023 | −0.3% | |
| Mar 2023 | −2.1% | |
| Apr 2023 | −0.1% | |
| May 2023 | −3.4% | |
| Jun 2023 | +0.9% | |
| Jul 2023 | −0.3% | |
| Aug 2023 | +7.7% | |
| Sep 2023 | +2.8% | |
| Oct 2023 | −3.7% | |
| Nov 2023 | −4.2% | |
| Dec 2023 | −1.1% | |
| Jan 2024 | −2.0% | |
| Feb 2024 | +2.0% | |
| Mar 2024 | +3.3% | |
| Apr 2024 | −0.1% | |
| May 2024 | −2.2% | |
| Jun 2024 | −3.8% | |
| Jul 2024 | −0.04% | |
| Aug 2024 | −1.3% | |
| Sep 2024 | −2.8% | |
| Oct 2024 | −0.2% | |
| Nov 2024 | +0.1% | |
| Dec 2024 | +4.0% | |
| Jan 2025 | +1.2% | |
| Feb 2025 | −1.2% | |
| Mar 2025 | −3.8% | |
| Apr 2025 | −2.4% | |
| May 2025 | −2.1% | |
| Jun 2025 | +0.1% | |
| Jul 2025 | −1.2% | |
| Aug 2025 | +1.6% | |
| Sep 2025 | +3.6% | |
| Oct 2025 | −1.3% | |
| Nov 2025 | +2.7% | |
| Dec 2025 | −0.3% | |
| Jan 2026 | −3.2% | |
| Feb 2026 | +0.8% | |
| Mar 2026 | +21.2% | |
| Apr 2026 | +5.4% | |
| May 2026 | +7.0% | |
| Jun 2026 | −9.7% | |
| Jul 2026 | −2.9% | |
| Aug 2026 | +3.9% | |
| Sep 2026 | +9.1% |
57 rows: scroll the table for the rest.
How we make these charts: one chart a day from a story in the edition, drawn from the figures the story names and checked against the sources named on the chart before it is published. General information only, not financial advice.
