Australia CPI October 2026
October 27 @ 8:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Australia CPI October 2026
Next Australia CPI: Wednesday, at 11:30 am AEDT (8:30 pm ET, 12:30 am London). Covers September 2026 data.
- Consensus
- Not yet published
- Prior
- 3.8% annual (12 months to May 2026)
- Actual
- Pending
Full schedule and background: Australia CPI.
Updated
Australia’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) for September 2026 is released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, at 11:30am AEDT. That converts to 8:30pm ET on October 27, 2026, and 12:30am London time on October 28, 2026, because Australia is a day ahead of the United States and several hours ahead of the United Kingdom. Full background and the release schedule for this series sit on our Australia CPI hub page.
What is Australia’s CPI?
The CPI tracks the change in prices paid by households for a fixed basket of goods and services, from groceries and rent to petrol, health care and electricity. The ABS compares the cost of that basket each period with earlier periods to work out how fast prices are rising or falling, expressed as an annual percentage change.
Since late 2025 the ABS has published a complete Monthly CPI as Australia’s primary measure of headline inflation, having previously relied on a quarterly CPI supplemented by a lighter monthly indicator. The switch means nearly all of the CPI basket now gets priced every month rather than once a quarter, so each release gives a timelier read on the cost of living, according to the ABS’s own account of the transition on its website.
Markets watch CPI closely because the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) uses it, particularly the “trimmed mean” measure that strips out the most volatile price swings to see the underlying trend, to help set the cash rate. A hotter than expected reading can push traders to price in higher interest rates for longer, while a cooler reading can support bets on rate cuts.
When is the September 2026 CPI released?
The ABS publishes the September 2026 Monthly CPI on October 28, 2026, at 11:30am AEDT, on its release calendar and in the “Consumer Price Index, Australia” statistical release on abs.gov.au. The data covers price changes recorded across September 2026, the ninth full month of data collection since the complete Monthly CPI replaced the old quarterly headline measure.
What is the consensus forecast?
A consensus forecast has not yet been published for the September 2026 release. Economist surveys for Australian CPI are typically compiled by Bloomberg and Reuters in the days immediately before the release, so a market consensus will not exist this far in advance.
The most recent confirmed reading available at the time of writing comes from the ABS’s own release commentary: “The Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 3.8%, down from 4.0% in the 12 months to May 2026” (ABS). Several further monthly prints will have been published between that reading and the September 2026 release, so readers should check the ABS release calendar for the most current figures once they are out.
| Measure | Prior (most recently confirmed) | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| Headline CPI, annual | 3.8% (12 months to May 2026) | Not yet published |
| Trimmed mean CPI, annual | Not independently confirmed for this print | Not yet published |
What the result could mean
| Scenario | Likely market read | What it means in plain English |
|---|---|---|
| Above consensus | Traders could pare back bets on RBA rate cuts, and the Australian dollar could firm, if inflation surprises to the upside | Prices are rising faster than expected, which could keep borrowing costs higher for longer |
| In line with consensus | Limited immediate market reaction, with the RBA’s policy path likely to remain broadly unchanged | Inflation is behaving roughly as expected, so there is less pressure for the RBA to change course quickly |
| Below consensus | Markets could increase bets on earlier or larger RBA rate cuts, and the Australian dollar could soften | Prices are cooling faster than expected, which could eventually feed through to cheaper borrowing |
These are possibilities discussed by market commentators, not predictions. Actual market reaction depends on the detail within the release, including housing, fuel and services prices, not just the headline number.
Why does this release matter right now?
The RBA sets interest rates with an eye on keeping inflation within its target band, and it treats the trimmed mean CPI as its preferred guide to underlying price pressure because it filters out one-off swings in items such as fuel or fresh food. Australia’s headline annual inflation had been easing through the first half of 2026, based on the ABS’s own commentary noting a fall to 3.8% in the year to May 2026 from 4.0% previously, according to the ABS.
Because the September reading is one of the last monthly prints before the RBA’s subsequent policy meetings, it feeds directly into the central bank’s assessment of whether disinflation is continuing, stalling or reversing. Global investors also watch it as a proxy for demand conditions in a major commodity-exporting economy, with implications for the direction of the Australian dollar against the US dollar, the pound and the euro.
What It Means for Your Money
- Mortgages and rates: A higher than expected CPI print can reduce the chances of an RBA rate cut, which matters for Australian homeowners on variable rate mortgages, since it can mean borrowing costs stay elevated for longer.
- Savings: If inflation stays sticky, savers may see term deposit and savings account rates hold up, but the real value of cash still erodes faster when prices are rising quickly.
- Jobs and wages: Persistent inflation squeezes household budgets if wage growth does not keep pace, while a clear cooling trend can ease pressure on employers and support real incomes.
- Prices: The CPI directly reflects what households are paying for everyday items, from groceries to electricity, so a lower reading is generally good news for cost of living pressures.
- Investments, pensions and currencies: Changes in Australian rate expectations move the Australian dollar, which affects returns for international investors holding Australian assets and can influence pension funds with exposure to Asia-Pacific markets. A weaker Australian dollar can also make imports more expensive, feeding back into future inflation readings.
Related events
- Previous release: Australia CPI, September 2026 report (August 2026 data)
- Full schedule and methodology background: Australia CPI hub page
- RBA cash rate decisions, which respond directly to the trend in this data
Frequently Asked Questions
What time is the September 2026 Australia CPI released?
The ABS releases the data at 11:30am AEDT on October 28, 2026, which is 8:30pm ET on October 27, 2026, and 12:30am London time on October 28, 2026.
How do I read the CPI figure?
Focus on the annual percentage change for headline CPI and, if reported, the trimmed mean figure, which the RBA treats as a cleaner read on underlying inflation once volatile items are excluded.
How does this release affect interest rates?
The RBA uses CPI trends, especially the trimmed mean, as one of the main inputs into its cash rate decisions, so persistently high readings tend to reduce the chance of near-term rate cuts, while cooling readings can increase it.
Where can I find the official release?
The ABS publishes the full statistical release, including data tables, on its Consumer Price Index, Australia page.
When is the next Australia CPI release after this one?
The ABS publishes Australia’s Monthly CPI on a regular monthly schedule, with dates listed on its release calendar; check the Australia CPI hub page for the next confirmed date.