In order to produce the below bar/line graphic, one needs matched quarterly and annual data points. It really tells a story and has predictive capability based on the “domino” that is falling off vs the one coming on. I’ve shown this to a lot of non-finance friends and folks pick up on it quickly.
Total CPI
The BLS had monthly and running annual totals on some top level summary categorizations. They publish seasonally adjusted monthly data on 350 expenditure categories but not annual running totals.
I am well along the way to building out a database for this monthly data. Not easy but it is the building blocks needed to track on which area of the economy are we having issues with inflation: Energy, Food, Services or Commodities.
It’s one thing to have a monthly detailed data base, it is another to be able to have rolling 12 month annual totals.
Bill Knudson, Research Analyst Landco ARESC