Inflation rate hit 3.0% in September, lower than expected, long-awaited CPI report shows

Prices that people pay for a variety of goods and services rose less than expected in September, according to a Bureau of Labor Statistics report Friday that is the only official economic data allowed to be released during the government shutdown.

The consumer price index showed a 0.3% increase on the month, putting the annual inflation rate at 3%. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones had been looking for respective readings of 0.4% and 3.1%. The annual rate reflected a 0.1 percentage point uptick from August.

Excluding food and energy, core CPI showed a 0.2% monthly gain and an annual rate also at 3%, compared to respective estimates of 0.3% and 3.1%, the latter being unchanged from a month ago. Core CPI on a monthly basis had posted 0.3% gains in both July and August.

A 4.1% jump in gasoline prices was the largest contributor to a report that otherwise showed inflation pressures fairly muted. Food prices showed a 0.2% increase. Commodity prices overall rose 0.5%. On an annual basis, energy was up 2.8% and food rose 3.1%.

Shelter costs, which comprise about one-third of the weighting in the CPI, rose just 0.2% and were up 3.6% from a year ago. Services excluding shelter costs also were 0.2% higher.

New vehicles saw a 0.8% increase, but used cars and truck prices fell 0.4%.

Stock market futures added to gains following the release, while Treasury yields were slightly negative.

The report provides a glimpse into the state of the U.S. economy at a time when all other data releases have been suspended.

Markets are pricing in a near-certainty that the central bank lowers its benchmark overnight borrowing rate by a quarter percentage point from its current target range of 4%-4.25%. Traders also are anticipating another cut in December.