US inflation easing

From Calculated Risk:

The Cleveland Fed released the median CPI and the trimmed-mean CPI this morning:

According to the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, the median Consumer Price Index rose 0.2% (2.0% annualized rate) in March. The 16% trimmed-mean Consumer Price Index rose 0.1% (1.5% annualized rate) during the month. The median CPI and 16% trimmed-mean CPI are measures of core inflation calculated by the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland based on data released in the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) monthly CPI report.

Earlier today, the BLS reported that the seasonally adjusted CPI for all urban consumers rose 0.1% (1.1% annualized rate) in March. The CPI less food and energy rose 0.1% (0.8% annualized rate) on a seasonally adjusted basis.Note: The Cleveland Fed has the median CPI details for March here. Motor fuel was up 29% annualized in March following several months of large declines.

This graph shows the year-over-year change for these four key measures of inflation. On a year-over-year basis, the median CPI rose 2.4%, the trimmed-mean CPI rose 2.0%, and the CPI less food and energy also rose 2.2%. Core PCE is for February and increased 1.7% year-over-year.

On a monthly basis, median CPI was at 2.0% annualized, trimmed-mean CPI was at 1.5% annualized, and core CPI was at 0.8% annualized.

On a year-over-year basis, three of these measures are at or above 2%.

Using these measures, inflation has been moving up, and most are close to the Fed’s target (Core PCE is still below).

In short, it is not as scary as it looks with weak monthly inflation set to flatten the trajectory of the annual measures before long.