Inflation rate hit 3.0% in September, lower than expected, long-awaited CPI report shows

Inflation Data Analysis - Headline CPI rose 03% month-over-month, slightly below expectations [1] - Core CPI, excluding food and energy, increased 02% month-over-month, also less than anticipated [1] - Year-over-year CPI stands at 3%, lower than the expected 31% but higher than the previous 29% [2] - Core CPI year-over-year also comes in at 3%, cooling slightly from the last reading of 31% [2] Market Reaction - Interest rates are moving down, and stocks are moving up in response to the lower-than-expected CPI data [2] - The market views the slowing labor market as a positive sign for potential Fed rate cuts [3] Economic Indicators & Consumer Behavior - Credit card activity is up over 75% year-over-year, outpacing inflation [7] - There's a growing trend of consumers paying with cash to receive discounts, potentially underreporting spending [8] - The stock market is considered by some as the most honest metric of the US economy, less influenced by political factors compared to surveys [6]