Annual inflation rose to 4.2 percent in May

12-month percentage change in the urban consumer price index for all items

Line chart showing annual CPI inflation from January 2021 through May 2026, with a red line beginning in January 2025. Inflation peaked at 9.1% in June 2022 and reached 4.2% in May 2026.

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Note: Data for October 2025 is unavailable due to last year's government shutdown.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsSean McMinn/POLITICO