--- title: "US Inflation Rises to 3.7%, Increasing Pressure on Markets and Politicians Ahead of Midterms" description: "US inflation rose to 3.7% in September due to surging energy prices, beating analyst forecasts and triggering a stock market drop ahead of the midterm elections." date: 2026-10-15T10:10:16.947Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/us-inflation-rises-to-3-7-percent tags: [us-inflation, cpi, federal-reserve, stock-market, midterm-elections] author: "Darya Fomina" publisher: "XAB.info" --- # US Inflation Rises to 3.7%, Increasing Pressure on Markets and Politicians Ahead of Midterms ![Chart of US inflation and Consumer Price Index growth](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/15/inflyatsiya-v-ssha-vyrosla-do-3-7-protsentov/inflyatsiya-v-ssha-vyrosla-do-3-7-protsentov-1.webp) ## Key Points - US inflation reached 3.7% year-over-year in September. - Gasoline prices jumped 9.1%, driving over half of the overall CPI increase. - The probability of a Fed rate hike exceeded 55% following the report. - US stock indices dropped sharply: Nasdaq fell 1.88% and S&P 500 lost 1.1%. The economic situation in the United States has once again taken center stage in global financial markets and political circles. According to official data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) published on October 14, the country's inflation rate rose to 3.7% year-over-year in September. This figure exceeded the consensus forecast of economists surveyed by Dow Jones, who had expected a 3.6% increase. The primary driver behind the acceleration in price pressures was a sharp surge in energy costs, particularly gasoline, prices for which jumped by an impressive 9.1% during the month. ### Price Pressure Factors and Inflation Structure A detailed analysis of the consumer basket shows that price growth is systemic in nature. In addition to gasoline, which accounted for more than half of the total increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI), significant price hikes were recorded in housing, apparel, and food categories. Against this backdrop, core inflation—which excludes volatile food and energy prices—grew by 2.6% annually and 0.3% monthly, coming in slightly better than initial analyst forecasts. Nevertheless, the overall picture remains tense: as of September, American wages were growing at an average annual rate of 3%, continuing to lag behind inflation rates. ### Impact on Fed Monetary Policy and Market Reaction The release of such a troubling macroeconomic report immediately impacted investor behavior and expectations regarding the Federal Reserve's (Fed) next steps. Before the official statistics were released, market participants anticipated that the U.S. regulator would pause and delay raising interest rates until December; however, following the publication, the probability of monetary tightening as early as October exceeded 55%. Financial markets reacted to the heightened risks with a sharp sell-off: key stock indices plunged deep into negative territory, with the Nasdaq index dropping 1.88% and the S&P 500 falling 1.1% by the close of trading on October 14. ### Political Context and Administration Response These developments unfold at a critical moment for the American political system—just ahead of the November midterm congressional elections, where Republicans are fighting to preserve their majorities in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Inflation and the cost of living have become core issues for voters, dictating their electoral preferences. National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett publicly acknowledged that the latest statistics are disappointing, yet stressed that the administration's policies are focused on reining in prices, while opponents use the current economic climate to criticize the White House. ## Fact-Check & Sources - [Инфляция в США выросла до 3,7%, что усиливает давление в преддверии промежуточных выборов.](https://www.vietnam.vn/ru/lam-phat-my-tang-len-3-7-gay-suc-ep-truoc-bau-cu-giua-ky) - Данные по ИПЦ и реакция рынков полностью совпадают. - [Инфляция в США — максимум за 4 месяца, «быки» в биткоине сдают позиции](https://cryptonews.net/ru/news/analytics/33591328/) - Подтверждает масштаб макроэкономического шока. - [Инфляция в США достигла 3,7% и обвалила биткоин и золото, ФРС готовит решение](https://ru.beincrypto.com/ssha-cpi-sentyabr-bitcoin-gold-fed/) - Отражает реакцию товарных и криптовалютных рынков. - [Данные по инфляции в США были опубликованы, цены на золото резко упали.](https://ru.haberler.com/russian-news-2313912/) - Подтверждает падение котировок золота на фоне инфляционных данных. ## FAQ ### What was the US inflation rate in September? The Consumer Price Index rose to 3.7% year-over-year. ### How did financial markets react to the report? Stock markets dropped sharply, with the Nasdaq falling 1.88% and the S&P 500 down 1.1%. ### How did expectations for Fed interest rates change? The probability of a Fed rate hike in October exceeded 55% after the data release.