Global| Dec 12 2018U.S. CPI Is Unchanged; Core Prices Increase Steadily
by:Tom Moeller
|in:Economy in Brief
Summary
The Consumer Price Index held steady during November (2.2% y/y) following a 0.3% October rise. The result matched expectations in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. The CPI excluding food & energy improved an expected 0.2% (2.2% [...]
The Consumer Price Index held steady during November (2.2% y/y) following a 0.3% October rise. The result matched expectations in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. The CPI excluding food & energy improved an expected 0.2% (2.2% y/y) for a second month.
The rise in the "core" CPI reflected the fourth consecutive 0.2% increase in services prices. The gain was paced by a 0.5% increase (2.3% y/y) in recreation services costs which followed stability in October. A 0.4% rise (2.4% y/y) in medical care services prices came after two months of 0.2% gain. A 0.3% increase (3.2% y/y) in shelter prices reflected a 0.4% strengthening (3.6% y/y) in rents of primary residences which followed two months of 0.3% increase. The owners' equivalent rent of primary residences rose 0.3% (3.3% y/y) for a second straight month. Hotel costs improved 0.2% (-1.5% y/y). Education & communication costs declined 0.4% (+0.6% y/y), dragged down by a 1.6% decline (-2.1% y/y) in telephone service charges. Tuition other school fees rose 0.3% (2.7% y/y). Working 0.3% lower (-0.9% y/y) was the cost of public transportation.
Goods prices less food & energy improved 0.2% as used car & truck prices jumped 2.4% (2.3% y/y) after a 2.6% increase. Also firm were medical care product prices as they increased 0.4% (0.6% y/y) after four straight months of decline. New vehicle prices were roughly unchanged (0.3% y/y) after two months of decline. Recreation goods prices also held steady (-3.0% y/y) while video & audio equipment costs fell 0.8% (-12.1% y/y). Apparel prices also declined by 0.9% (-0.4% y/y) after a 0.1% uptick.
Food prices increased 0.2% (1.4% y/y) as cereal & bakery product prices strengthened 0.6% (1.3% y/y) and made up October's decline. Meat, poultry & fish prices rose 0.4% (0.2% y/y) while egg prices declined 0.8% (3.6% y/y). Dairy product prices eased 0.2% (-0.5% y/y) while the cost of fruits & vegetables held steady (-0.1% y/y). Nonalcoholic beverage prices declined 0.4% (+1.0 y/y).
Energy product prices declined 2.2% as gasoline prices dropped 4.2% (+5.0% y/y) and reversed the October increase. Fuel oil prices also weakened by 2.9% (+16.1% y/y) after a 3.7% rise. The price of electricity rose 0.3% (0.6% y/y) following a 2.3% jump and natural gas prices improved 0.3% (-2.1% y/y).
The gain in consumer prices caused real average hourly earnings to rise 0.3% (0.8% y/y) and recover the decline during October.
The consumer price data can be found in Haver's USECON database with additional detail in CPIDATA. The Action Economics survey figure is in the AS1REPNA database.
Labor Market Not Overly Tight, Demographically Adjusted Measure Shows from the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas can be found here.
| Consumer Price Index, All Urban Consumers (% chg) | Nov | Oct | Sep | Nov Y/Y | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 2.2 | 2.1 | 1.3 | 0.1 |
| Total less Food & Energy | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 2.2 | 1.8 | 2.2 | 1.8 |
| Goods less Food & Energy | 0.2 | 0.3 | -0.3 | 0.2 | -0.7 | -0.5 | -0.5 |
| Services less Energy | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 2.9 | 2.7 | 3.1 | 2.6 |
| Food | 0.2 | -0.1 | 0.0 | 1.4 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 1.9 |
| Energy | -2.2 | 2.4 | -0.5 | 3.1 | 7.9 | -6.6 | -16.7 |
Tom Moeller
AuthorMore in Author Profile »Prior to joining Haver Analytics in 2000, Mr. Moeller worked as the Economist at Chancellor Capital Management from 1985 to 1999. There, he developed comprehensive economic forecasts and interpreted economic data for equity and fixed income portfolio managers. Also at Chancellor, Mr. Moeller worked as an equity analyst and was responsible for researching and rating companies in the economically sensitive automobile and housing industries for investment in Chancellor’s equity portfolio. Prior to joining Chancellor, Mr. Moeller was an Economist at Citibank from 1979 to 1984. He also analyzed pricing behavior in the metals industry for the Council on Wage and Price Stability in Washington, D.C. In 1999, Mr. Moeller received the award for most accurate forecast from the Forecasters' Club of New York. From 1990 to 1992 he was President of the New York Association for Business Economists. Mr. Moeller earned an M.B.A. in Finance from Fordham University, where he graduated in 1987. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from George Washington University.
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