Inflation rises slower than predicted, what's next for the economy?

From groceries to home goods, according to the latest inflation report, you're probably feeling the pinch. Released just hours ago, the Consumer Price Index shows prices climbed again in September, though not by much. 5 On Your Side's Keely Arthur breaks down what these numbers really mean for home budgets, and why the Fed's next move could depend on data it doesn't have.
Posted 10/24/2025, 4:38:00 PM Updated 10/24/2025, 9:52:51 PM

TELL HIM TO KEEP FIGHTING

>> FROM GROCERIES TO GAS.

IF YOUR WALLETS FEELING KIND

OF STRETCHED LATELY, YOU ARE

FAR FROM ALONE. A NEW INFLATION

REPORT SHOWS PRICES TICKED UP

AGAIN IN SEPTEMBER, THOUGH, BY

LESS THAN EXPECTED 5 ON YOUR

SIDE'S KEELY. ARTHUR BREAKS

DOWN WHAT THE NUMBERS REALLY

MEAN FOR THE ECONOMY.

>> AND HOW YOU CAN TRY TO SAVE

MONEY.

>> THIS INFLATION REPORT TRACKS

ALL SORTS OF PRICES. WE'RE

SEEING AN OVERALL 3% RISE ON

THE COST OF GOODS IN SEPTEMBER

2025. COMPARED TO THAT OF

SEPTEMBER 2024. SO FOR FOOD,

IT'S ALL OVER THE PLACE.

FOR EXAMPLE, THE PRICE OF EGGS

IS DOWN, BUT BEEF AND ORANGE

JUICE UP. AND THE SAME

SITUATION WITH VEHICLES.

NEW VEHICLES ARE COSTING MORE

BUT USED CARS ARE ACTUALLY

DOWN. THE THING ABOUT THE CPI

REPORT, THOUGH, IS IT LOOKS AT

THE OVERALL ECONOMY AND GIVES

US A GOOD INDICATOR OF WHERE

THINGS ARE HEADED. WRAL, 5 ON

YOUR SIDE HAS FALLEN RISING

COSTS FOR YEARS AND SPOKEN WITH

TOP ECONOMISTS.

>> LIKE DOCTOR GERALD COHEN

FROM UNC IN 2022, I ASKED IF A

RECESSION WAS COMING. HE SAID

NO, HE WAS RIGHT. FOR YEARS

LATER, I ASKED AGAIN, HERE'S

WHAT HE SAID. THE CURRENT SET

OF POLICIES.

>> ALRIGHT, INCREASING THE RISK

OF A RECESSION AND THAT'S WHAT

CONCERNS ME BECAUSE THE ECONOMY

WAS ON A FIXED LOOK, LOOK, LOOK

VERY HEALTHY AND HAD YOUR JOB

CREATION CONTINUE TO 2.

EXCEEDED EXPECTATIONS. EVERY

EVERY MONTH. PEOPLE THE GENERAL

COMMUNITY, INCLUDING MYSELF,

WAS SAYING, OK, THAT WE'RE IN

IT. WE'RE KINDA. WE'RE CREATING

A LOT OF JOBS. EVEN FATHOM MORE

THAN DEMOGRAPHIC SUGGESTS.

AND SO WE'RE KIND OF RUNNING

OUT OF PEOPLE AND NOW THE THE

NOW THAT ALMOST THE OPPOSITE

HAS HAPPENED WHERE WE'RE

CREATING VERY FEW JOBS. NOW.

AND AND THAT'S THAT'S WORRYING

GOING. OTHER ECONOMISTS POINT

TO SHIFTING TARIFFS IN A CRACK

DOWN ON IMMIGRATION.

>> AS 2 MAJOR FACTORS DRIVING

UNCERTAINTY. COMPANIES MAY BE

HIRING LESS BECAUSE THEY DON'T

KNOW WHAT'S NEXT. AND THOUSANDS

HAVE LOST LEGAL WORK

AUTHORIZATION. STILL, THE FED

IS EXPECTED TO REDUCE INTEREST

RATES AGAIN. AND THE STOCK

MARKETS PERFORMING WELL.

COHEN'S ADVICE, STICK TO YOUR

INVESTMENT PLAN TO INVEST IN

EQUITIES. IF YOU CAN JUST

REMEMBER, YOU CAN BE VOLATILE.

BUT WHAT IF YOU'RE JUST TRYING

TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE?

I TOTALLY GET THAT. YOU WANT

TO MAKE SMALL CHANGES. THEY CAN

HAVE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN YOUR

BUDGET BY THINGS INVOLVED BY

GENERIC ITEMS THAT WILL

TRANSLATE TO REAL SAVINGS AND

ALSO KNOW THAT THERE ARE OTHER

RESOURCES AVAILABLE REGARDING

FOOD BANKS. IT WE HAVE A LIST

OF HOW TO GET HELP ON OUR

WEBSITE. WRAL COM KEELY ARTHUR.