The BLS Consumer Price Index summary shows the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.2 percent in May on a seasonally adjusted basis after rising 0.2 percent in April.
Details
- The gasoline index increased 1.7 percent, more than offsetting declines in some of the other energy component indexes and led to a 0.9-percent rise in the energy index.
- The medical care index rose 0.2 percent.
- The food index was unchanged over the month.
- The shelter index rose 0.3 percent in May.
- The indexes for new vehicles, education and communication, and tobacco increased in May, while the indexes for household
furnishing and operations, and used cars and trucks fell.
- The indexes for apparel, recreation, and personal care were unchanged.
Year Over Year CPI
Year-Over-Year CPI looks like it’s on on ominous trend buts that largely due to easy comparisons and rising energy prices. Year-over-year food at home is up only 0.1%. Some will object to that, I don’t.
Food away from home rose 2.7%, likely reflecting higher wages.
The problem spot is shelter, and it’s a big one. The shelter index is up 3.5%.
Month-Over-Month CPI
Month-over-month, the CPI looks more benign but once again shelter is hot. It’s up 0.3% for the month.
Worse yet, shelter is understated in the CPI because it does not include actual housing prices.
Big Yawn
The bond market reacted to this news with a big yawn.
Other than shelter, a big yawn is appropriate. The Fed blew another real estate bubble, junk bond bubble, and equity bubble. When those pop, deflation, not inflation will be the concern.
Mike “Mish” Shedlock
You are probably correct. We just purchased short term Bills at 4 weeks and have another’s purchase set for 13 weeks. The long end is too low for me to get in.
Just looking at how flat the yield curve is. Inversion not far away.
Well, it looks like the serfs can either work more hours or take on MOAR debt to temporarily avoid the inevitable lower standard of living. Brought to you by your Globalist OWNERS.
Kind of hard to be a government by rent seeking leeches, for rent seeking leeches; if you couldn’t ban, print, zone and regulate rents in ways enabling you to extract ever more unearned rent from the productive members of society, in exchange for ever less shelter.