The Consumer Price Index for April reversed last month's course and rose by 0.2%. Inflation increases were across the board. Food rose 0.2%, energy 1.1% and all other items together increased 0.1%. Shelter continues on it's tear with a 0.3% monthly increase. Natural gas had a huge monthly increase of 2.2%. Fresh vegetables had the largest monthly jump since February 2011, an increase of 5.1%.
The March Consumer Price Index dropped by -0.3%. That's unusual and a decline in CPI has not happened since February 2016. The reason was volatile gas prices but America finally is catching a break on cell phone service costs too. The gasoline index by itself dropped -6.2% for the month. The bigger surprise is Inflation without food and energy prices considered dropped by -0.1%.
The National Association of Realtors Pending Home Sales just jumped to the second highest level in a decade and the highest level in nearly a year. Pending home sales increased 5.5% in a month to an index level of 112.3. In May 2006, the index was 112.5 and from a year ago, the figure is up 2.6%. Last April saw a pending home sales index of 113.6.
The Consumer Price Index for February returned to Earth with a 0.1% monthly increase. January stayed unrevised at 0.6%. The monthly change was the smallest gain since July 2016. The main cause was gasoline, again, which dropped -3.0% for the month. Inflation with food and energy price changes removed increased 0.2%. From a year ago overall CPI has now risen 2.7%.
The December 2016 S&P Case Shiller home price index shows a seasonally adjusted 5.6% price increase from a year ago for the 20 metropolitan housing markets and a 4.9% yearly price increase in the top 10 housing markets. Both Seattle and Portland's annual home price gain exceeded 10%.
The Consumer Price Index for January really blew up. The monthly change was a whopping 0.6%, the largest monthly gain since February 2013. The main cause was gasoline, which jumped up 7.8% for the month. Inflation with food and energy price changes removed increased 0.3% as most costs increased.
The October 2016 S&P Case Shiller home price index shows a seasonally adjusted 5.6% price increase from a year ago for the 20 metropolitan housing markets and a 4.3% yearly price increase in the top 10 housing markets. Last month the annual gain was 5.4%.
The November Consumer Price Index increased by 0.2%. Once again, the main causes are shelter, which increased 0.3% for the month and gasoline, which rose 2.7% for the month. Food inflation had no change for the fifth month in a row. Inflation with food and energy price changes removed increased 0.2% as shelter is part of this measure.
The Federal Reserve raised the federal funds rate from 0.5 to 0.75 percent. That means the party might be over on cheap interest rates, especially mortgages.
The October Consumer Price Index increased by a high 0.4%. This is a six month high. The usual suspects were shelter, which soared up 0.4% for the month and gasoline, which rose 7.0% for the month. Food inflation had no change for the second month in a row. Inflation with food and energy price changes removed increased 0.1% as shelter and medical costs are part of this measure.
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