U.S. CPI climbs to 3.3% as energy spike lifts headline; core inflation stays steady

U.S. consumer prices rose sharply in March 2026, with the CPI up 0.9% month over month and the annual rate accelerating to 3.3%. The pickup was driven mainly by energy prices, which surged 10.9% on the month. Gasoline posted an even steeper gain, jumping 21.2%. Core CPI, which excludes food and energy, was largely unchanged, rising 0.2% month over month and holding at 2.6% year over year. The data suggest underlying inflation remains contained even as energy pushed the headline index higher.