The US Consumer Price Index rose 3.7% over the 12 months ending in September, up from 3.4% in August, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Gasoline was the biggest driver, up 9.1% for the month and 34.2% over the year, while core inflation was 2.6%. Food away from home rose 3.5% over the year, faster than the 1.8% increase in food bought to cook at home. The article argues Walmart (WMT) and Costco (COST) benefit from thin markups and value pricing, with Costco's fiscal fourth-quarter sales up 11.2% to $93.9 billion and Walmart's revenue up 5.9% to $187.9 billion. Walmart trades above its own five-year median on forward earnings, while Costco is near its historical average, and the author says neither is a bargain.
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inflationfuel pricesretailWalmartCostco
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Related tickers and likely impact
DXY
▲ Likely positiveRelevance: medium
| Market | Currencies |
|---|---|
| Close on 10/19/2026 | 101.98 |
| Change that session | +0.20% |
QQQ
▼ Likely negativeInvesco QQQ Trust
Relevance: medium
| Market | US stocks |
|---|---|
| Sector | ETF |
| Close on 10/19/2026 | 718.36 |
| Change that session | +1.21% |
SPY
▼ Likely negativeSPDR S&P 500 ETF
Relevance: medium
| Market | US stocks |
|---|---|
| Sector | ETF |
| Close on 10/19/2026 | 766.48 |
| Change that session | +0.42% |
Impact is scored by AI from the headline and may be wrong. It is not investment advice.
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