The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers excluding food and energy — known as core CPI — rose to 337.765 in August 2026, up from 336.789 in July.
The figure represents a monthly increase of approximately 0.3% and marks a second straight month of gains. It follows June's reading of 336.065 and May's 336.121, with April coming in at 335.423.
The core CPI is widely regarded as a key measure of underlying inflation because it strips out the price movements of food and energy, which tend to be highly volatile. The index covers prices paid by urban consumers across a typical market basket of goods and services, using a base period of 1982-1984 equal to 100, and is seasonally adjusted.
Data is released monthly and last updated on September 11, 2026, at 8:37 a.m. Central Daylight Time via the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis FRED series CPILFESL. The next report is scheduled for October 14, 2026.
The data series spans back to January 1957, covering 836 monthly observations. Economists and the Federal Reserve closely track core CPI as part of its dual mandate to assess whether inflationary pressures are moving sustainably toward its target.
