NEW YORK CITY: Inflation kept its hold on the US economy in September, government data showed Thursday (Friday in Manila), with a higher-than-expected jump adding to headwinds facing President Joe Biden's Democrats shortly before midterm elections.

Thursday's consumer price report — the last before the November 8 vote to decide control of Congress — showed US prices rose 0.4 percent in September compared to August, twice the 0.2 percent projected by analysts, with increases for food, housing and medical care weighing on consumers.