Social Security's 2027 COLA Estimate Is Likely to Have Jumped in September, Courtesy of a Trump Bump and the Stock Market's No. 1 Catalyst

Social Security's 2027 cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) is projected to exceed the previously estimated 3.5% raise, driven by two main factors: surging energy prices following the Iran war closing the Strait of Hormuz, and inflationary pressures from the AI infrastructure boom. Rising diesel prices, GPU costs, and increased electricity demand from AI data centers are pushing consumer prices higher, which will be reflected in the final inflation report on October 14, 2026.