August PCE Inflation Rises Again – Is the Fed’s Rate Cut Plan in Jeopardy?
The latest Personal Consumption Expenditures inflation report shows that price pressures picked up slightly in August. According to the Commerce Department data released on September 26, the overall PCE price index was up 2.7% in August 2025 compared to a year earlier wtop.com. That marks a gentle increase from the 2.6% annual inflation rate in July, and is the fastest year-over-year PCE inflation reading since February. In practical terms, American consumers in August paid on average 2.7% more for the basket of goods and services than they did in August 2024. While that rise is modest by historical standards, it does indicate a second consecutive month of accelerating inflation, after prices had been decelerating earlier in the year.
