Washington (AFP)

US consumers had to open their wallets wider in September as the price hike picked up again, rekindling inflation concerns as international leaders tackle supply issues.

After two months of moderation, inflation accelerated again in September, to 0.4% over one month, against 0.3% in August, according to the consumer price index (CPI) published Wednesday by the department work.

More than half of this increase is due to food and shelter, the statement said.

An important part also comes from energy.

And compared to September 2020, the price increase is 5.4%, against 5.3% between August 2020 and August 2021.

This rebound is rekindling concerns about a more stubborn rise in prices than expected, while the return to 2% annual inflation, a level considered optimal, seems to be receding month after month.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) anticipates a decline in energy prices from the end of the first quarter of 2022, and expects, at the global level, a spike in inflation at the end of 2021, before stabilizing by the middle next year.

- Cardboard cups -

In the medium term, the rise in prices will moderate, in favor of "faster productivity growth," said Ian Shepherdson, economist for Pantheon Economics.

But in the meantime, he warns, the data "will appear to threaten, or actually threaten, the" transient "aspect" of this inflation.

Politicians are trying to reassure households whose purchasing power is diminishing.

"I think it is transitory, but I do not want to say that these pressures will disappear in a month or two", thus underlined Tuesday the secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen.

A container ship at the port of Los Angeles (California) on October 6, 2021 Frederic J. BROWN AFP

Because the global supply difficulties, which have been causing delays and shortages for months, are largely responsible.

The subject is at the heart of the G7 Finance on Wednesday, meeting in Washington.

For example, a coffee shop in Rapid City, North Dakota, saw the price of recyclable cardboard cups rise recently by 3 cents, up from a usual increase of about 1 cent per year, explains in a article Tu-Uyen Tran, economist at the Fed (Federal Reserve) in Minneapolis.

At the rate of "3,000 cups per week, that represents an additional $ 4,700 per year", he underlines.

Faced with the lack of personnel, it was also necessary to increase wages, while the prices of gasoline used to deliver the bagels, and various supplies, soared, details the economist.

The margins being slim, the couple who own this business "had to raise prices".

Tu-Uyen Tran notes, however, that "inflation has started to slow down for certain goods and services".

- Delays and shortages -

"The imbalances between supply and demand will only be resolved gradually," which "(will keep) the inflation rate at a high level," commented Kathy Bostjancic, economist for Oxford Economics, who expects higher annual inflation. at 3% until mid-2022.

The officials of the American Central Bank (Fed) had however worried, during their meeting of September whose minutes were published Wednesday, that these difficulties "could last longer and have more important or more persistent effects on the prices. and wages "than previously anticipated.

These disturbances are slowing global growth, the IMF warned on Tuesday.

A Washington store on August 12, 2021 Brendan Smialowski AFP / Archives

On the contrary, for the CEO of JPMorgan Chase bank, Jamie Dimon, "you can have good growth and inflation".

The White House announced on Wednesday an extension of night and weekend work in the port of Los Angeles, where 40% of containers destined for the United States arrive.

"Nearly 100 ships (are) moored outside (...), awaiting unloading of goods," Ms. Yellen detailed Tuesday.

But do not worry, she assured, the Christmas presents will arrive on time at the foot of the tree.

Not so sure, according to Fed official Mary Daly: "People buy now and they are often told that they will not be able to get" products on time.

© 2021 AFP