US BLS recalls staff from furlough to complete the September CPI report – NY Times
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Citing a Trump administration official, the New York Times reported on Friday that the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is calling back a limited number of staff from furlough to complete the September Consumer Price Index (CPI) report, despite the ongoing government shutdown. “The decision reflects the importance of September inflation data in determining the annual Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), which is calculated using third-quarter CPI figures. A prolonged delay would risk postponing the COLA announcement that affects millions of retirees,” the NY Times reported. However, the inflation data is unlikely to be released on October 15, as originally scheduled. The CPI data hold the key to providing critical input ahead of the US Federal Reserve’s (Fed) policy meeting later this month, October 28-29. Inflation FAQs Inflation measures the rise in the price of a representative basket of goods and services. Headline inflation is usually expressed as a percentage change on a month-on-month (MoM) and year-on-year (YoY) basis. Core inflation excludes more volatile elements such as food and fuel which can fluctuate because of geopolitical and seasonal factors. Core inflation is the figure economists focus on and is the level targeted by central banks, which are mandated to keep inflation at a manageable level, usually around 2%. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) measures the change in prices of a basket of goods and services over a period of time. It is usually expressed as a percentage change on a month-on-month (MoM) and year-on-year (YoY) basis. Core CPI is the figure targeted by central banks as it excludes volatile food and fuel inputs. When Core CPI rises above 2% it usually results in higher interest rates and vice versa when it falls below 2%. Since higher interest rates are positive for a currency, higher inflation usually results in a…
Filed under: News - @ October 10, 2025 4:24 am