Skip to contentSwipe for next articleIndependent Bulletin homepageDownload our appAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleWant to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Membership today.Join todayAlready a member? Log inMatt OttTuesday 29 September 2026 18:33 BSTWe ask Congress: How much are you paying for gas?U.S. consumer confidence dropped 6.7 points to 81.9 in September, reaching its lowest level since April 2014 due to persistent inflation, stagnant pay, and the war in Iran.The sharp decline in economic sentiment presents potential political hurdles for President Donald Trump and the Republican Party ahead of upcoming midterm elections.Consumer price inflation accelerated by 0.4 percent in August from the previous month, driven by surging costs for fuel, general merchandise, and essential services.To combat ongoing inflation, the Federal Reserve implemented a quarter-point rate increase to roughly 3.9 percent, marking its first interest rate hike since 2023.Although the U.S. labor market added 162,000 jobs in August, average hourly wage growth slowed to 3.1 percent year-over-year, registering its smallest annual gain since May 2021.In fullAmericans’ view of the economy drops to its lowest point in over a decadeMore bulletinsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in