Here is the latest look at consumer price figures for October on a month-over-month basis. Headline CPI #inflation rose by 0.4%, coming in higher than the 0.3% projection and easing from the previous 0.6% increase. Meanwhile, core CPI registered a 0.3% monthly advance, which beat the 0.2% forecast and held steady with the prior reading of 0.3%.
Worldwide food costs experienced a decrease in October, based on the latest figures from the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) Price Index. Even with this recent downward shift, the index remained nearly 6% above its level from one year prior, though it sat 16% below the peak recorded in March. Across different commodity categories, price gains were observed in sugars and vegetable oils, whereas prices for cereals, meats, and dairy products all moved lower.
For October, the Small Business Optimism reading from @NFIB registered at 97.8, softening from the previous figure of 97.9 and missing the estimated 98.2.
According to @NFIB, small business owners reported that labor quality remained their primary concern for the fourth straight month in October. Meanwhile, taxes moved ahead of inflation to become the second most pressing issue facing these enterprises.
The most recent @UMich Consumer Sentiment Survey shows that 57% of participants reported a decline in their living standards this November as a result of rising prices. This measurement effectively ties the historic high previously recorded in May.
Data compiled by Bloomberg reveals that discussions surrounding rising prices surged during corporate earnings presentations in October. Across S&P 500 conference calls, corporate leaders used the words inflation or inflationary a total of 820 times, marking the steepest monthly count observed since February 2024. A closer look at the industry breakdown shows that industrial enterprises contributed one-fourth of these references, with firms in the Materials sector registering the second-largest share.
Findings from the October @NewYorkFed Survey of Consumer Expectations show shifting consumer views on costs over the coming twelve months. While anticipated price increases softened for gas and held steady for food, projections climbed across several other areas, including medical care, college education, rent, and gold.
Data from the @NewYorkFed October Survey of Consumer Expectations indicates that the share of households anticipating they will miss a minimum debt payment within the next three months has reached 13.8%. This represents a 1.6ppts increase from the prior month, marking the highest reading since December 2025.
September saw a notable expansion in consumer debt, with overall borrowing climbing to $27.8B. Credit cards and other forms of revolving credit represented the largest share of this growth, increasing by $16.3B. Alongside that rise, non-revolving credit, which includes student and auto loans, advanced by $11.5B.
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Data from @NewYorkFed shows that the share of consumers anticipating an increase in unemployment over the next year climbed to 45.3% in October, reaching its peak level since the pandemic.
In October, median inflation expectations published by @NewYorkFed showed a slight increase across both short- and medium-term horizons. For the one-year outlook, expectations rose to +3.91%, up from the prior level of 3.90%. Over a three-year timeframe, anticipated inflation reached +3.29%, compared to the previously recorded 3.25%.