The Digester
finance

US inflation jumps to 3.3% as gas prices surge

Consumer prices rose 3.3% year on year in March and 0.9% month on month, the largest monthly spike in nearly four years, led by sharp increases in energy and gasoline costs.

Apr 10th 2026 · United States

Insights

  • CPI rose 3.3% year on year in March, up from 2.4% in February.
  • Prices rose 0.9% from February to March, the largest monthly increase in nearly four years.
  • Energy prices increased 10.9% year on year and gasoline jumped 21.2%.
  • Core CPI excluding food and energy rose 0.2% from February, lifting costs in airfares, apparel, and new vehicles.
  • Analysts link higher oil and fuel prices to tensions involving Iran that pushed crude above $100 a barrel.
  • Grocery prices fell 0.2% in March and utility gas service costs declined 0.9% month on month, though both remain higher than a year ago.

Sources