Last snapshot of the US economy before midterms shows stronger growth but higher inflation

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The US economy continues to grow at a strong clip; however, fast-rising gas prices helped to lift inflation in September to a four-month high, new data showed Thursday.

The Personal Consumption Expenditures price index – the inflation gauge used by the Federal Reserve for its 2% target rate – rose 0.5% from August, bringing the annual rate of inflation to 3.6%, according to new Commerce Department data.

Economists were expecting the PCE price index to increase 0.5% from the prior month, with the annual rate rising to 3.6% from 3.4%, according to FactSet estimates.

Americans also pumped the brakes on their spending last month, the report showed. Consumer spending rose 0.5%, slowing from a gain of 0.9% the month before. When adjusting for inflation, consumer spending was flat from the month before.

Separately on Thursday, the Commerce Department reported that US economic growth accelerated during the third quarter, with gross domestic product expanding at a 3.4% inflation-adjusted annualized rate, a faster pace than the 3.0% rate economists had projected.

The latest reports land a day after Fed policymakers left interest rates unchanged , indicating a desire to consider more economic data before making their next policy move.

This story is developing and will be updated.

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美国经济继续保持强劲增长；然而，周四公布的新数据显示，汽油价格快速上涨导致9月份通胀率升至四个月来的最高水平。

根据美国商务部最新数据，个人消费支出价格指数（美联储用于衡量其 2% 目标通胀率的指标）较 8 月份上涨 0.5%，使年通胀率达到 3.6%。

根据 FactSet 的估计，经济学家预计个人消费支出价格指数将比上月上涨 0.5%，年化增长率将从 3.4% 升至 3.6%。

报告显示，美国人上个月也放缓了支出步伐。消费者支出增长0.5%，低于前一个月的0.9%。经通胀调整后，消费者支出与前一个月持平。

周四，美国商务部另行发布报告称，美国经济增长在第三季度加速，国内生产总值按经通胀调整后的年化增长率为 3.4%，高于经济学家此前预测的 3.0%。

最新报告发布前一天，美联储决策者宣布维持利率不变，这表明他们希望在采取下一步政策行动前考虑更多经济数据。

此事件仍在发展中，我们将持续更新报道。