U.S. annual inflation holds at 3.4% in August

CNBC, citing the Bureau of Labor Statistics, reported that the consumer price index rose 3.4% from a year earlier in August, matching July’s annual rate. On September 15, 2026, CNBC said economists expected consumers to keep feeling financial pain in the following months as Middle East tensions pushed energy costs higher. The outlet also reported that U.S. Treasury bond yields had reached their highest levels in years, raising borrowing costs for consumers seeking mortgages and auto loans.