Consumerist: C.p.i.

Consumer Price Index Shows That Consumers Like Eating Out, Gasoline

Alex Chasick — Wed, 07 May 2008 00:55:14 EDT

The New York Times made a pretty cool graph out of the Consumer Price Index, which tracks changes in prices for many consumer goods over the past year. Turns out, gas prices went up.

The Times graph, a form of Voronoi Treemap, divides consumer spending into numerous categories and subcategories, allowing you to see what percentage of an average consumer's spending is used for food versus transportation, or on citrus fruit versus tires. Some interesting highlights:

Electronics took the biggest dip in prices. From March 2007 to March 2008, TVs dropped 18.3% and computers dropped 12%.
Not surprisingly, the biggest price increases were in fuel: Gas went up 26%, propane and firewood went up 23.4%, and fuel oil (for home heating) went up 48.4%.
The only non-fuel item that increased by more than 20% was eggs, which went up 29.9%.
Consumers spend the same amount on "alcohol away from home" (0.5%) as they do on health insurance.
We spend too much damn money on fast food. The only categories where we spend more money are rent, gas, electricity, new cars, and meals at non-fast food restaurants. Yes, this is because other categories like groceries are subdivided into produce and meat and so on, but 2.4% is still a sizable chunk of spending.

All of Inflation's Little Parts [NYT]
(Photo: =Rah=)

Consumer Price Index: Hello, Ms. January

popkin — Wed, 22 Feb 2006 13:00:05 EST

With feverish paws, we unsheathed the latest Consumer Price Index report (C.P.I.), released this morning, from its brown package. Flipping quickly to the middle our eyes roamed over Ms. January C.P.I.'s rising crests of .8%.

Bloomberg forecast only .3%. Ha! What does that punter know.

In the closeup section we saw food and energy rose sharply last month, like our vocal octave upon seeing Secretary of Labor, Elaine L. Chao (pictured, swoon!), while the rest of the basket rose more gently.

But what's in Ms. January's future? Turn-ons, offs? Information was scarce but we found that while not indicative of inflation, some analysts, according to the New York Times, think the Fed will still raise interest rates a touch more to throttle economic growth.

Party poopers.

Consumer Price Index Gets Us Hot

popkin — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 15:50:45 EST

It may be hard to sleep tonight, tomorrow the Feds release the Consumer Price Index (C.P.I.) at 8:30 am EST. We'll post the results on The Consumerist but you can also hit refresh over here.

Pictured is Secretary of Labor, Elaine L. Chao, who is likewise reportedly, "totally stoked to be dropping mad economic science on the streets."

Bloomberg estimates a .5% increase in the C.P.I., which measures urban price changes in a core "basket" of goods: Housing 42%; Food 18%; Transportation 17%; Medical Care 6%; Apparel 6%; Entertainment 4%; Other 7%.

Here's hoping your wages got at least .5% increase this year, too. Salut, oh C.P.I, you indefatigable bastard.