The Bureau of Labor Statistics usually collects data in real time. So it may not be able to capture October prices or jobs data that was missed during the shutdown.

Measuring inflation takes resources, but both the public and the U.S. government itself benefit from having an accurate read on price changes. 

The June consumer price index will be the latest glimpse into whether tariffs are having an effect on consumer prices.

The federal government’s producer price index can show when higher prices are coming soon to a retailer near you.

Broken down by category, some of the sectors most impacted by tariffs saw a price decline from last month, including apparel and used cars and trucks.

Costs are still high. And according to the CPI for February, there were lots of price hikes and price drops within the grocery sector.

Data doesn’t always show a full picture. Example: Functional unemployment was 23.3% in January — very different than the 4% headline figure.

January’s producer price index shows big drops in the cost of fruit and veggies. But wholesale vs. retail isn’t an apples-to-apples comparison.

Shelter costs were 4.6% higher in December than a year earlier, and they account for more than a third of the consumer price index.

The producer price index calculates price inflation from businesses’ point of view — think labor costs or raw materials prices.