gasoline

October CPI Drops 0.1% on Gas, Lowest Annual Inflation Rate Since Great Recession

The monthly October Consumer Price Index declined by -0.1% on gas prices.  CPI measures inflation, or price increases and for the year has increased 1.0%.  This is the lowest annual inflation since the height of the Great Recession, October 2009.

Retail Sales Saved by Autos, Up 0.2% for August 2013

August 2013 Retail Sales increased by 0.2% on auto sales, which increased 0.9% from last month.  Motor vehicle dealers are having a good year.  Their sales have increased 12.3% from a year ago.  Without motor vehicles & parts sales, August retail sales would have been a 0.1% increase from last month.  Building materials and clothing dragged retail sales down as they declined -0.9% and -0.8% respectively.

CPI Jumps 0.5% on Higher Gas Prices for June 2013

The June Consumer Price Index increased 0.5% from May.  CPI measures inflation, or price increases.  This is the largest monthly CPI increase since February where inflation rose 0.7%. The culprit this time is gasoline, which caused two thirds of the increase in CPI and by itself rose 6.3%.  Take food and energy items out of the index and core inflation rose 0.2% from May.

 

Retail Sales 0.4% June Gain Shows Auto Dealers are Having a Good Year

June 2013 Retail Sales increased by 0.4% on auto sales, which increased 2.1% from last month.  Motor vehicle dealers are having a good year.  Their sales have increased 12.9% from a year ago. Without motor vehicles & parts sales, June retail sales would have shown no change from last month.  Furniture had a surprise showing with a 2.4% increase in sales.  If one removes gasoline sales from retail sales, overall the increase would have been 0.3%.

PPI - Wholesale Inflation Increases 0.8% for June 2013

The June Producer Price Index increased 0.8% for finished goods.  May PPI increased 0.5%, but April dropped -0.7%.  For the year PPI increased 2.5%.  This is the biggest annual increase since March 2012.   Gasoline again is the culprit, with wholesale prices surging 7.2%.  Core PPI, which is finished goods minus food and energy prices, increased 0.2% for the month.

CPI Increases 0.1% on Rent, Prescription Drug Prices Drop for May 2013

The May Consumer Price Index increased 0.1% from April.  CPI measures inflation, or price increases.  The culprit this time isn't gasoline, but shelter, which increased 0.3% for the month.  This is the largest monthly increase in the shelter index since July 2011 and was responsible for half of the overall 0.1% inflation monthly increase.  Take food and energy items out of the index and CPI actually rose 0.2% from April.  Shelter is part of this figure.

CPI Shows Inflation Dropped -0.4% on Volatile Gas Prices in April 2013

The April Consumer Price Index dropped -0.4% from March.  CPI measures inflation, or price increases.  The culprit is gas prices again, which plunged -8.1% for the month.  This is the biggest monthly decline in overall CPI since December 2008, when the economy was at risk of a deflationary spiral.  Take food and energy items out of the index and CPI actually rose 0.1% from March, so once again volatile retail gasoline prices are wreaking havoc in the overall consumer price index, as well as consumer's monthly budgets.

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