What got more expensive in September

By Alicia Wallace, CNN

(CNN) — Here’s a rundown of what got more expensive in September’s Consumer Price Index report — as well as a couple of key areas where consumers are seeing relief.

But first, a caveat: Monthly data can be quite volatile — and that could be even more volatile amid federal cuts and BLS staffing limitations that have impacted how data is collected — so it’s important to look at longer-term trends.

At the grocery store

Grocery prices bolted higher in August, rising 0.6%, which was the highest in nearly three years; however, in September, they rose at a comparably modest 0.3%. For the year, they’re running below overall inflation at a 2.7% rate, BLS data shows.

The dairy case is doing its part to cool down overall food-at-home inflation: Egg prices have dropped after the avian flu-related issues were resolved, and plentiful production and supply for milk and butter and food oils have kept price hikes at bay.

The same can’t be said for other aisles in the grocery store.

Beef and veal: In September, prices for uncooked beef roasts rose 4.8%, their largest increase in four years. The broader beef and veal index rose 1.2% in September and is up 14.7% from a year before.

In recent months, the average price of beef has hit record highs, a milestone caused by a yearslong trend of drought, shrinking herds and the rise of imported beef.

Lunchmeats: The beef trend doesn’t bode well here. Prices of the handy sandwich fixings rose 4.2%, the largest on record for the category.

Fresh sweetrolls, coffeecakes, doughnuts: Cue the “d’oh” from the doughtnut-loving crowd. In September, prices for these delectable baked goods rose 5.7%. That’s the highest monthly increase for that category in more than 26 years.

It’s likely one part lagged effect from prior price spikes in main ingredients (like eggs wheat, spices and sugar) and one part post-pandemic changes in consumer demand and labor patterns, BLS researchers noted earlier this year when analyzed baked goods prices.

Coffee: America’s favorite caffeinated beverage actually got cheaper in September — this index fell by 0.1%. But this is where that monthly caveat comes in hand: September’s little dip comes after seven consecutive months of price hikes ranging from 0.9% to 3.6%.

For the year, coffee prices are up 18.9%. It’s even worse if you like the quick fix of instant — that’s up 21.7%, which is the highest annual inflation since the summer of 1995. And it’s very possible it won’t stop there if President Donald Trump follows through on his threat to enact steeper tariffs on Colombian shipments. Key coffee-exporter Brazil also faces a 50% levy.

The services economy

At-home care for elderly and people with disabilities: Prices here soared 7% in September, marking the highest-ever monthly increase for this category (which the BLS started tracking in December 2005). On an annual basis, they’re up 11.6%.

Health care costs are on the rise, and that’s especially been the case for the care economy, where providers are facing funding shortfalls (that have been exacerbated by new budget cuts). That has contributed to low wages, which have led to worker shortages (now exacerbated by immigration reductions), which in turn have resulted in care deserts, further putting upward pressure on prices — and, in turn, negative labor market outcomes.

Admission to sporting events: The kick-off to football season came with a heftier hit to the pocketbook. The price for fandom went up 3.7% from August, according to BLS data, which accounts for seasonality.

On an annual basis, sporting event tickets are down by about 6.9%; however, this category might be highlighting a “K-shaped economy” trend that’s influencing pricing.

“Consumers at the higher end of the income spectrum are still spending relatively freely on discretionary services, and that is putting upward pressure on airfares and on hotel prices” and other related categories, said Gregory Daco, chief economist at EY-Parthenon.

Airline fares: Ticket prices were up 2.7% on a monthly basis, further driving the annual rate to 3.2%.

Tariff effect on goods

Trump’s substantial and widespread tariffs are having an effect on overall inflation, but instead of a surge, the pass-through to consumers has been ongoing, gradual and uneven (for a multitude of reasons).

It’s a slow bleed that’s expected to continue into early next year, but some of the impacts are already being felt.

“The grocery segment, of course, is one of the prime ones,” Daco said. “Yes, we do produce some fruits and vegetables and some meat, but we also import a lot of produce and other items that are in our grocery stores.”

So, it makes sense why products like bananas (+6.9% annually), canned fruits and vegetables (+5%) and sugar and sweets (+6.7%) are rising at their fastest annual rates in years.

The tariffs are also showing up in other non-grocery goods that saw notable price increases in September:

Watches: Monthly price shifts in this category can be quite volatile; however, the trend in recent years — as with many other goods — is generally one of falling prices. That wasn’t the case in August, when watch prices went up 1.9%, or in September, when they rose 3.2%, bringing the annual rate to 6.6%.

In August, the United States imposed a 39% tariff on Switzerland, which is one of the top exporters of watches to America.

Boys’ apparel: The back-to-school shopping season was met with plenty of sticker shock in August, and that continued in September. This category rose 2.6%, which was the largest monthly increase in more than a year.

Many articles of clothing and accessories are made outside the United States in countries such as Bangladesh, China, India and Vietnam, leaving them greatly exposed to tariffs.

Furniture and appliances: Shelter-related services inflation, which carries the biggest weight in the CPI, slowed further in September. But the prices of goods that fill homes definitely did not.

“Other furniture,” which can include desks, bookcases and the like, saw price increases of 1.9%, the highest in nearly two years and is at its highest annual inflation rate in nearly three years. There’s a similar story for appliances, which are up 1.3% from the year before (after a 0.8% rise in September).

Trump in recent months extended tariffs to appliances and has vowed to enact even more “substantial” tariffs on furniture.

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CNN’s Matt Egan and Elisabeth Buchwald contributed reporting.