KEY POINTSConsumer prices rose 0.6% in September, producing annual inflation of 3.7% — higher than economists predicted.Construction added 11,000 jobs in September, reaching a record 8.4 million, driven largely by AI data center buildouts.Steel prices jumped 25% recently due to tariff-driven demand for domestic supply outpacing production.U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said on Thursday that President Donald Trump’s tariff regime is not contributing to the increased level of inflation reported on Wednesday ahead of the midterm elections. Consumer prices rose by 0.6% in September, producing an annual inflation rate of 3.7%, the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated. This uptick exceeded…