https://www.live-feeds.com/feed/inflation-has-been-eating-up-wage-gains-for-months-september-was-no-differentContinuously updated, source-cited coverage. https://www.live-feeds.com/feed/inflation-has-been-eating-up-wage-gains-for-months-september-was-no-differenthttps://www.live-feeds.com/feed/inflation-has-been-eating-up-wage-gains-for-months-september-was-no-different#u102719Mon, 05 Oct 2026 13:31:31 +0000Inflation continues to erode wage gains, leaving September no different as average hourly earnings increased by an anemic 0.1 percent from August and 3 percent year over year. This unexpected cooling in wage growth marks the slowest pace since 2021, shaking rate-hike expectations and posing a direct threat to consumer spending. Meanwhile, soaring energy prices and falling real wages evoke comparisons to the 1970s economy. In a labor market characterized by minimal hiring and firing, workers are also facing fewer raises, compounding financial pressures.Why it mattersThe recent data highlights a