by Calculated Risk on 8/11/2017 11:16:00 AM
Friday, August 11, 2017
Key Measures Show Inflation mostly below 2% in July
The Cleveland Fed released the median CPI and the trimmed-mean CPI this morning:
According to the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, the median Consumer Price Index rose 0.2% (2.0% annualized rate) in July. The 16% trimmed-mean Consumer Price Index also rose 0.2% (1.8% annualized rate) during the month. The median CPI and 16% trimmed-mean CPI are measures of core inflation calculated by the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland based on data released in the Bureau of Labor Statistics' (BLS) monthly CPI report.Note: The Cleveland Fed released the median CPI details for July here. Motor fuel declined 14% in July annualized.
Earlier today, the BLS reported that the seasonally adjusted CPI for all urban consumers rose 0.1% (1.3% annualized rate) in July. The CPI less food and energy also rose 0.1% (1.4% annualized rate) on a seasonally adjusted basis.
Click on graph for larger image.
This graph shows the year-over-year change for these four key measures of inflation. On a year-over-year basis, the median CPI rose 2.1%, the trimmed-mean CPI rose 1.9%, and the CPI less food and energy rose 1.7%. Core PCE is for June and increased 1.5% year-over-year.
On a monthly basis, median CPI was at 2.0% annualized, trimmed-mean CPI was at 1.8% annualized, and core CPI was at 1.4% annualized.
Using these measures, inflation was soft again in July. Overall these measures are mostly below the Fed's 2% target (Median CPI is slightly above).