Price increases remained elevated in September as year-high gas prices drove inflation higher and heaped more pressure on consumers, according to new data released Thursday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The Consumer Price Index rose 3.7% for the 12 months ended in September, landing a touch above economists' expectations. Consensus estimates were for annual inflation to rise by 3.6%, which would have been a slight retreat from August's 3.7% gain, according to Refinitiv.

On a monthly basis, inflation gained 0.4%.

Still, gas prices tend to be volatile and can mask underlying inflation trends.

When stripping out gas and food, the core CPI cooled for the sixth month in a row and was up 4.1% annually off a 0.3% monthly gain.

This story is developing and will be updated.