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Import prices rose more slowly in February. That could help bring down inflation.

Mar 15, 2024
The Labor Department reported that the price of imported goods rose 0.3% in February compared to 0.8% the month before.
Prices at the import level can affect prices that show up in other inflation data.
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Inflation falls, but not as much as expected

Feb 13, 2024
The CPI rose 3.1% in January compared to a year ago.
A major factor in core inflation is shelter costs. But the way the CPI calculates rent lags a bit behind current rent prices.
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When an item costs more but you still need it? That's "inelastic demand."

Feb 13, 2024
Despite inflation, people still buy as much food, medicine, gasoline — even coffee.
The price of baby food and formula is up 8.7% year over year, according to the latest CPI.
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How are health insurance costs reflected in inflation calculations?

Nov 13, 2023
To make the CPI’s health care component more accurate, the Bureau of Labor Statistics changed how it uses health insurance data.
Rather than tracking health insurance premiums, the BLS tracks how much health insurance companies retain of the premiums they receive after paying for services.
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What’s the difference between CPI and PCE?

Oct 27, 2023
The consumer price index and the personal consumption expenditures price index measure the changing cost of different baskets of goods.
Housing is a bigger part of the CPI than the PCE, and the increase in housing costs has pushed the CPI higher.
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Would-be used-car buyers could be in for a rude awakening on dealers' lots

Oct 12, 2023
While prices slipped last month, they're still significantly higher than before the pandemic — and headed higher.
Used car prices are dropping. But if you haven't been in the market for a used car since before the pandemic, prices might still shock you.
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Inflation rates have been a little stuck lately. Is that a bad thing?

Oct 12, 2023
Waiting it out might just be part of the journey to cool inflation.
At this point in the journey to cool inflation, it can feel like we're running in place. Is that such a bad thing?
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Uptick in gas prices could threaten consumers' confidence

Aug 10, 2023
Inflation at the pump is in the pipeline for August. It would likely show up right before the Fed’s September interest rate meeting.
The recent uptick in gas prices can largely be attributed to intense heat in oil refining areas.
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Why year-over-year inflation changes aren’t a great indicator of today’s inflation

Aug 9, 2023
Year-over-year inflation figures grab a lot of attention when the Labor Department reports its monthly consumer price index. But those 12-month figures can gloss over the recent slowdown in inflation.
While year-over-year inflation can be helpful to filter out temporary changes that happen month-to-month, it can gloss over the recent slowdown in inflation.
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Why have car repairs gotten so expensive?

Aug 7, 2023
The cost of car maintenance and repair is rising much faster than inflation.
Aside from the rising price of spare parts, repair costs have gotten more expensive because newer cars are more complicated to fix. 
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