Consumer price index (CPI)

Inflation is the biggest challenge for 16% of respondents to a survey from the National Federation of Independent Business, the highest share in over a year.

Overall grocery inflation slowed to 1.9% year-over-year, but the picture is uneven. While egg prices are down nearly 45%, tariffs and supply chain pressures are pushing some produce prices higher.

Asking rents dropped more than 1.5% in February, and apartment supply is growing in some major metros. But shelter costs, which make up about a third of the CPI, are still showing a 3% annual increase.

Inflation and job creation are expected to hold steady, but revisions to the 2025 jobs numbers are expected to be large enough to show a net loss for all of last year.

Demand for beef is high at the same time that cattle inventory is low — and ranchers are cautious about investing in growing their herds at a time of economic uncertainty.

Start with the fact that most consumers don’t spent a whole lot on imported goods.

One reason is that demand has surged from electrifying vehicles and furnaces — and from the rush to build new data centers.

Nicole Cervi at Wells Fargo explains how she uses public inflation and jobs data in her work.

We learned Tuesday that consumer prices are relatively stable across many goods and services, despite higher tariffs. On Thursday, we learned producer prices are spiking.

In San Diego, prices rose at 4% during the year ending in July. But in Dallas, inflation was less than 1%.