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Consumer Price Index
A measure that tracks the average change in prices paid by consumers for goods and services.
Consumer Price Index (CPI)
CPI is the most widely followed inflation measure and one of the most market-moving economic reports.
How CPI is calculated
The Bureau of Labor Statistics tracks prices of approximately 80,000 items across 200+ categories in the consumer basket:
- Housing (~34%): Rent, owners' equivalent rent
- Transportation (~16%): New/used cars, gasoline, insurance
- Food (~14%): Groceries, dining out
- Medical care (~9%): Insurance, doctor visits, prescriptions
- Other: Education, apparel, recreation, communication
CPI vs. Core CPI
- Headline CPI: All items including food and energy
- Core CPI: Excludes food and energy (more stable, closely watched by the Fed)
CPI report impact
- Released monthly by the Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Higher-than-expected CPI → fears of more rate hikes → stocks often sell off
- Lower-than-expected CPI → hopes for rate cuts → stocks often rally
Limitations
- May not reflect your personal inflation experience
- Housing costs are measured with a lag
- Quality adjustments can be controversial
Key Takeaways
- Context matters when interpreting any financial metric.
- Combine multiple data points for informed decisions.
- Continue learning to build investment knowledge.
Quick Reference
Category
Macro Economics
Difficulty
Beginner
Reading Time
1 min
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Where You'll See This
This concept appears throughout stock detail pages and financial data.