The CPI-W, the index used to set Social Security cost-of-living adjustments (COLA), rose 3.9% from a year earlier in September 2026, above the broader 3.7% CPI. The 2027 COLA is projected at 3.6%, the average of the July (3.4%), August (3.5%) and September (3.9%) readings. Applied to the average retired worker's benefit of about $2,088 per month in 2026, that works out to roughly $75 per month, or $902 per year. The article argues this inflation does not require major changes to a stock portfolio, since current CPI is only slightly above its 50-year average. For investors worried about inflation, it suggests options such as low-cost index funds, short-term bonds, commodities, energy and financial stocks, and REITs.
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Related tickers and likely impact
QQQ
▼ Likely negativeInvesco QQQ Trust
Relevance: medium
| Market | US stocks |
|---|---|
| Sector | ETF |
| Close on 10/20/2026 | 717.52 |
| Change that session | -0.12% |
SPY
▼ Likely negativeSPDR S&P 500 ETF
Relevance: medium
| Market | US stocks |
|---|---|
| Sector | ETF |
| Close on 10/20/2026 | 769.01 |
| Change that session | +0.33% |
DXY
▲ Likely positiveRelevance: medium
| Market | Currencies |
|---|---|
| Close on 10/20/2026 | 101.70 |
| Change that session | -0.28% |
XAU/USD
▲ Likely positiveRelevance: low
| Market | Gold |
|---|---|
| Close on 10/20/2026 | 4,125.21 |
| Change that session | -0.38% |
Impact is scored by AI from the headline and may be wrong. It is not investment advice.
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