U.S. CPI rose 3.8% in April 2026, highest since May 2023
Key takeaways
- CPI inflation hits highest since 2023 in April 2026 Quartz · Michael M.
- A 3.8% jump in the energy index drove much of the overall increase, pushing the 12-month energy gain to 17.9% and accounting for more than 40% of the total monthly rise across all categories.
- Food prices rose 0.5% for the month, putting the annual food index at 3.2%.
U.S. CPI inflation hits highest since 2023 in April 2026 Quartz · Michael M. Santiago / Getty Images Cris Tolomia Tue, May 12, 2026 at 7:40 PM GMT+7 3 min read U.S. consumer prices rose 3.8% over the 12 months ending in April, the fastest annual pace since May 2023, as energy costs tied to the war with Iran continued to drive inflation higher.
April s monthly CPI reading of 0.6% on a seasonally adjusted basis was in line with forecasts, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Tuesday, though the 3.8% annual figure came in a tenth of a percentage point above the Dow Jones consensus and exceeded March s reading by half a percentage point.
A 3.8% jump in the energy index drove much of the overall increase, pushing the 12-month energy gain to 17.9% and accounting for more than 40% of the total monthly rise across all categories. Gasoline prices were up 28.4% compared with a year earlier.