US consumer prices rise 3.8% as Iran war sends energy prices higher

US consumer prices jump as Iran war sends energy prices rapidly higher 1 of 10 | When the cost of nearly everything is rising, economists call it inflation. Even if paychecks also rise, inflation typically leads people feel like it’s harder to make ends meet, and it often becomes a major political issue. 2 of 10 | President Trump proposed suspending the federal gas tax that funds highway infrastructure to ease spiking prices at the pump. One expert asks: if Congress approves the suspension, would the tax be brought back? 3 of 10 | Rising gas prices are straining drivers’ wallets, which could impact summer travel plans if the Iran" class="entity-link entity-event" data-entity-id="39043" data-entity-type="event">War in Iran drags on. (AP Video by Terry Chea) 4 of 10 | When the cost of nearly everything is rising, economists call it inflation. Even if paychecks also rise, inflation typically leads people feel like it’s harder to make ends meet, and it often becomes a major political issue. 5 of 10 | A shopper peruses cheese offerings at a Target store Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2023, in Sheridan, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File) 6 of 10 | A motorist pumps fuel at a Shell station Wednesday, July 5, 2023, in Englewood, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File) 7 of 10 | Chocolate is displayed for sale at a grocery store Wednesday, April 29, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley) 8 of 10 | Coffee is displayed for sale at a grocery store Wednesday, April 29, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley) 9 of 10 | Beef is displayed for sale at a grocery store Wednesday, April 29, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley) 10 of 10 | Butter is displayed for sale at a grocery store Wednesday, April 29, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley) 1 of 10 When the cost of nearly everything is rising, economists call it inflation. Even if paychecks also rise, inflation typically leads people feel like it’s harder to make ends meet, and it often becomes a major political issue. Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. 2 of 10 President Trump proposed suspending the federal gas tax that funds highway infrastructure to ease spiking prices at the pump. One expert asks: if Congress approves the suspension, would the tax be brought back? Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. 3 of 10 Rising gas prices are straining drivers’ wallets, which could impact summer travel plans if the Iran" class="entity-link entity-event" data-entity-id="39043" data-entity-type="event">War in Iran drags on. (AP Video by Terry Chea) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. 4 of 10 When the cost of nearly everything is rising, economists call it inflation. Even if paychecks also rise, inflation typically leads people feel like it’s harder to make ends meet, and it often becomes a major political issue. Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. 5 of 10 A shopper peruses cheese offerings at a Target store Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2023, in Sheridan, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. 6 of 10 A motorist pumps fuel at a Shell station Wednesday, July 5, 2023, in Englewood, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. 7 of 10 Chocolate is displayed for sale at a grocery store Wednesday, April 29, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. 8 of 10 Coffee is displayed for sale at a grocery store Wednesday, April 29, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. 9 of 10 Beef is displayed for sale at a grocery store Wednesday, April 29, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. 10 of 10 Butter is displayed for sale at a grocery store Wednesday, April 29, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Updated [hour]:[minute] [AMPM] [timezone], [monthFull] [day], [year] WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. consumer prices climbed sharply again last month as the 10-week war with Iran pushed energy prices higher. The Labor Department’s consumer price index rose 3.8% from April 2025, according to data released Tuesday. On a month-to-month basis, April prices rose 0.6% from March as gasoline prices rose 5.4% during the month; the month-over-month gain was down from 0.9% increase from February to March. Labor Department figures showed that gasoline prices are up more than 28% compared with a year ago. However, the AAA motor club listed the average regular gallon of gasoline above $4.50 on Tuesday, about 44% more than it cost last year at this time. Excluding volatile food and energy costs, so-called consumer core prices rose 0.4% last month from March and 2.8% from April 2025, relatively modest readings that suggest the energy price burst has yet to spill over more broadly into other prices. Grocery prices rose 0.7% from March to April as meat prices rose. Those prices had retreated slightly the month before. “Inflation is the key drag on the U.S. economy now,” Heather Long, chief economist at Navy Federal Credit Union wrote. “There is a real financial squeeze underway. For the first time in three years, inflation is eating up all wage gains. This is a setback for middle-class and lower-income households and they know it. They are having to cut back on spending and stretch every dollar.” In April, average hourly wages fell 0.3% from a year earlier after accounting for inflation – the first year-over-year drop in three years. Inflation had been dropping more or less steadily since peaking with a 9.1% year-over-year spike in prices in June 2022, a surge caused by supply chain bottlenecks at the end of COVID-19 lockdowns and an energy price shock following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. But inflation remained above the Federal Reserve’s 2% Target. Then, the United States and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28, and Tehran responded by shutting off access to the Gulf of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas passes. Energy prices rocketed in response.The Fed, which had been expected to cut its benchmark interest rates in 2026, has turned cautious as it waits to see how long conflict lasts and whether higher energy prices spill over into other products and cause a broader inflationary outbreak.President Donald Trump has lambasted the Fed and its outgoing chair, Jerome Powell, for refusing to slash rates to boost the economy. Kevin Warsh, the president’s hand-picked choice to succeed Powell, is expected to be confirmed by the Senate this week; but it’s unclear whether Warsh would pursue lower rates given the uncertainties arising from the war — or whether he could persuade his colleagues on the Fed’s rate-setting committee to go along if he tried.Some companies are also starting to feel the pain. For example, Whirlpool, which makes KitchenAid and Maytag appliances, reported last week that revenue dropped nearly 10% in its most recent quarter and said that the war has caused a “recession-level industry decline″ that has undermined consumer confidence. Grace King, 31 of Ames, Iowa, said that higher prices in the food aisle and at the pump are making her cut back on spending for things like clothing. The administrative assistant used to spend $200 per month on clothing, mostly on Amazon, but not anymore.“There’s pressure basically everywhere from the groceries that I buy to the gas to fill up the tank,” she said.” I’ve severely cut back on my frill spending.”For example, King noted that while it’s only a five minute drive to work, she makes the trip twice a day. And if she needs to do any big shopping, that’s a 40-minute drive to malls in Des Moines, Iowa. AP Retail Writer Anne D’Innocenzio in New York contributed to this story.