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Consumer Price Index

Why is inflation still so low?

by Mitchell Hartman and Sabri Ben-Achour
Dec 13, 2019
With the lowest unemployment rate in 50 years, wages — and prices — should be rising faster than they are.
One reason inflation is so low might be globalization.
David McNew/Getty Images
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From fresh food to a new backyard fence, it's spending season

by Bennett Purser
Jun 12, 2019
A look at consumer prices as our listeners get ready for summer.
Kelsey Sprowell of Iowa City, Iowa, chose to build this fence with her family to save money.
Courtesy of Kelsey Sprowell
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Measuring inflation isn't easy

by Mitchell Hartman
Apr 10, 2019
Month-to-month price fluctuations make it difficult for the Bureau of Labor Statistics to measure inflation accurately.
Shoppers line up to check out at a Target store in 2008 in Miami.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
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A strong economy with low inflation? Inequality may be to blame.

by Kimberly Adams
Mar 12, 2019
New inflation numbers out today showed … very little of it. The consumer price index ticked up 0.2 percent in February. It was the first rise in four months. And year over year, the measure of how expensive it is to buy a fixed basket of goods is up just 1.5 percent. And that’s weird, […]
Mark Wilson/Getty Images
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The upside (and downside) of an automatic raise

by Adrian Ma
Jan 10, 2019
Several states automatically increase their minimum wage based on inflation. But is it enough?
Fantasia Pettis, 25, works at a Subway franchise in Cleveland, where she makes Ohio’s minimum wage, $8.55 per hour. “It’s a struggle,” she said when asked if she's getting by.
Adrian Ma/Marketplace
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Tight jobs lead to higher rents, which lead to core inflation increase

by Sabri Ben-Achour
Dec 13, 2018
The Consumer Price Index, if you take out food and energy, showed prices rising slightly. It climbed 0.2 percent, so year-over-year prices have climbed 2.2 percent. One of the reasons for the price hikes in November was rent. And you might not be happy to hear it, but it could well be another sign of […]
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The Federal Reserve

Here's how the Federal Reserve determines the inflation rate

by Kimberly Adams
Oct 11, 2018
The Consumer Price Index tracks the average price change over time for a “basket”  of goods and services. The CPI takes into account things like food, transportation and health care. If the CPI goes up, that’s considered an indication that the inflation rate is rising. But when the Federal Reserve calculates the inflation rate, it […]
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
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Here's how inflation works

by Kimberly Adams
Feb 14, 2018
Inflation is up more than expected, according to the consumer price index.
A view of the Federal Reserve building.
KAREN BLEIER/AFP/Getty Images
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Markets wait for latest inflation number

by Sabri Ben-Achour
Feb 13, 2018
The Labor Department will be out tomorrow with one measure of inflation: the consumer price index. You can bet a lot of people are going be paying special attention to that number, because investors have made it clear they’re worried about rising prices. Meanwhile, although it turns out we can measure inflation, it is really […]
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With low unemployment and latest numbers on consumer prices, questions about inflation

by Mitchell Hartman
Jan 12, 2018
The Consumer Price Index rose 0.1 percent in December from the previous month. The “core” inflation rate — excluding volatile food and energy prices — rose 0.3 percent month-to-month. That’s the largest increase since January 2017, and was higher than economists expected. But does it mean we’re beginning to see a serious uptick in inflation?  […]
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