Investors are closely watching the release of the United States’ September Consumer Price Index (CPI) on Friday evening. The overall CPI is projected to rise 0.4% from August, while core CPI is anticipated to increase by 0.3%. Despite the ongoing government shutdown, now in its fourth week, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has confirmed that this inflation report will be published. This data is crucial for the Social Security Administration to determine cost-of-living adjustments for millions of retirees and other beneficiaries in 2026. While analysts anticipate that the CPI figures won’t significantly alter the Federal Reserve’s plan for a 25 basis point rate cut next week, they may provide insights into potential actions at the Fed’s December meeting. Traders largely expect rate cuts to occur both next week and in December, but a significantly higher-than-expected inflation report could lead to a shift in market expectations regarding further rate reductions by the Federal Reserve.