Australia inflation rises to 4.3% in September, exceeding forecasts and RBA target
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Australia’s annual inflation rate accelerated to 4.3% in September 2026 from 4.0% in August, topping market expectations of 4.2% and reaching its highest level since March.
The hotter-than-expected reading moves consumer prices further above the Reserve Bank of Australia’s 2%–3% target range.
The trimmed mean CPI rose to 3.6% Y/Y (matching forecasts), up from 3.5% in August, while the weighted median CPI moderated to 3.4% YoY from 3.6%.
On a monthly basis, CPI climbed 0.8%, beating expectations of a 0.7% gain and marking the sharpest monthly rise in six months.
The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.4%, to 8,889 on Wednesday, extending gains for a fourth straight session and reaching a seven-week high. The Australian dollar strengthened past $0.70, reaching a five-week high as investors priced in higher expectations for a fifth RBA rate hike this year.
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