CPI
Headline inflation. What you're being paid back in when you hold a fixed-rate mortgage.
- source
- FRED
- frequency
- monthly
- units
- index
- s.a.
- yes
Headline CPI prints 3.72% year-over-year, up from 324.245 a year ago to 336.298 now—a steady creep that's outpacing the Fed's 2% target and eating into the real returns on your fixed-rate mortgages. The trajectory over the past six months shows persistent upward pressure, with August's print the highest in the recent run, suggesting the disinflationary trend from 2023-24 has stalled. For investors sitting on sub-4% mortgages locked in during the 2020-21 window, this is the erosion cost you factored in; for anyone refi'd or underwater on a new purchase, it's a reminder that rate cuts don't matter if inflation stays above 3.5% and nominal yields stay compressed. Watch whether September prints stick near this level or roll over—if headline stays above 3.5% through year-end, the Fed's next move is likely a pause, not a cut.
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CPI — Headline inflation. What you're being paid back in when you hold a fixed-rate mortgage.
Freq: monthly · Source: FRED
"""
from fredapi import Fred
fred = Fred(api_key="YOUR_FRED_API_KEY")
series = fred.get_series("CPIAUCSL")
print(series.tail())You are analyzing FRED series CPIAUCSL — Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers - All Items. Context: Headline inflation. What you're being paid back in when you hold a fixed-rate mortgage. Attributes - Units: index - Frequency: monthly - Source: FRED Latest observation: 336.3 as of 2026-09-01 Year-over-year change: +3.72% Analyze this metric for a tech-forward real estate investor with 1–3 properties. What is it signaling right now? What should I watch next?