Consumer prices rose at annual rate of 2.9% in August, as weekly jobless claims jump

Prices consumers pay for a variety of goods and services moved higher than expected in August while jobless claims accelerated, providing challenging economic signals for the Federal Reserve before its meeting next week.

The consumer price index posted a seasonally adjusted 0.4% increase for the month, the biggest gain since January, putting the annual inflation rate at 2.9%, up 0.2 percentage point from the prior month and the highest reading since January. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones had been looking for respective readings of 0.3% and 2.9%.

For the vital core reading that excludes food and energy, the August gain was 0.3%, putting the 12-month figure at 3.1%, both as forecast. Fed officials consider core to be a better gauge of long-run trends. The central bank’s inflation target is 2%.

On employment, the Labor Department reported a surprise increase in weekly unemployment compensation filings to a seasonally adjusted 263,000 for the week ending Sept. 6, higher than the 235,000 estimate and up 27,000 from the prior period. The claims level marked the highest in nearly four years.

The reports provide the final pieces of a complicated data puzzle that central bankers will review at their two-day policy meeting that concludes Sept. 17.

“Today’s CPI report has been trumped by the jobless claims report,” wrote Seema Shah, chief global strategist at Principal Asset Management. “While the CPI report is a tad hotter than expected, it will not give the Fed a moment of hesitation when they announce a rate cut next week. If anything, the jump in jobless claims will inject a bit more urgency in the Fed’s decision making, with Powell likely signaling a sequence of rate cuts is on the way.”

The closely watched CPI reading saw its biggest gain from a 0.4% increase in shelter costs, which account for about one-third of the weighting in the index. Food prices jumped 0.5% while energy was up 0.7% as gasoline rose 1.9%, likely indicating tariff impacts on prices.