Maybe some good news on inflation: "flexible" components are getting better. Maybe some bad news on inflation: everything else looks worse!
US Unconventional CPI
US Unconventional CPI
Tuesday, September 14, 2021
With the exception of median and trimmed-mean CPI, our array of unconventional indicators all say inflation slowed in August.
US Unconventional CPI
Wednesday, August 11, 2021
We've never seen such a difference between the "flexible" and "sticky" components of CPI.
US Unconventional CPI
Tuesday, July 13, 2021
Want a ray of hope from our unconventional inflation gauges? "Sticky" CPI is decelerating -- but it's the only one.
US Unconventional CPI
Wednesday, June 9, 2021
The unconventional measures show the same inflation acceleration -- with the exception of the ISM "prices paid" components, expectations-based measures that are decelerating or flat.
US Unconventional CPI
Wednesday, May 12, 2021
It's more useful than usual now to look at these unconventional measures. Using the median instead of the average reduces CPI from 4.2% to 2.2%. That implies just a small number of items are stinking up the joint.
US Unconventional CPI
Tuesday, April 13, 2021
When you come right down to it, the fancy alternative inflation measures all boil down to different techniques for underweighting oil. So predictably, they don't ratify this morning's big headline CPI number.
US Unconventional CPI
Wednesday, March 10, 2021
The unconventional measures make it clear there's no underlying inflation showing up in the data yet -- all the action is in "flexible" prices like energy and commodities.
US Unconventional CPI
Wednesday, February 10, 2021
The unconventional measures show sticky prices being sticky, and flexible prices starting to really move up.
US Unconventional CPI
Wednesday, January 13, 2021
Sluggish unconventional measures confirm that December was the weakest month of Q4-2020.