KEY POINTS
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U.S. consumer prices increased in August, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics reporting that the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers rose 0.4% on a seasonally adjusted basis.
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Gasoline prices rose 3.9% in August, accounting for more than one-third of the monthly increase in the all-items index.
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The energy figures remain a key watchpoint because fuel costs can affect transportation and other jobsite operating expenses.
U.S. consumer prices increased in August, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reporting September 11 that the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers rose 0.4%. The reported data is on a seasonally adjusted basis from July and 3.4% over the 12 months ending in August.
Core CPI, which excludes food and energy, increased 0.3% for the month and 2.4% year over year.
Gasoline prices rose 3.9% in August, accounting for more than one-third of the monthly increase in the all-items index. The energy index increased 2.1% over the month. Food prices rose 0.1%, including a 0.3% increase in food away from home, while shelter increased 0.3%.
Over the past year, energy prices rose 16.3% and food prices increased 2.7%.
ConstructConnect Chief Economist Michael Guckes said in the Autumn 2026 Construction Starts Forecast that, "Project planning should account for elevated energy, materials, and labor risks, along with uncertainty surrounding trade policy and the Strait of Hormuz." [Read the forecast]
For construction businesses, the energy figures remain a key watchpoint because fuel costs can affect transportation and other jobsite operating expenses.
The CPI is a measure of consumer prices, however, and should be considered alongside producer-price and material-specific data when assessing construction cost trends.
BLS scheduled its September CPI release for Oct. 14, 2026.
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