Updated May 2026 · Bureau of Labor Statistics
Inflation Indicator
Consumer Price Index (CPI) — Year-over-Year
Consumer Price Index (CPI) — Year-over-Year is a measure of price changes across the economy sourced from Bureau of Labor Statistics, updated monthly. Next release: 2026-04-10.
Historical Trend
| Date | Value |
|---|---|
| 2026-03 | 2.8% |
| 2026-02 | 2.9% |
| 2026-01 | 3.0% |
| 2025-12 | 2.9% |
| 2025-11 | 2.7% |
| 2025-10 | 2.6% |
| 2025-09 | 2.4% |
| 2025-08 | 2.5% |
| 2025-07 | 2.9% |
Reading the Current Print
At 2.8%, the current reading sits in the middle of the recent historical range for this series. The reading is consistent with ongoing trend conditions rather than a clear inflection point.
CPI Inflation moved from 2.9% to 2.8% since the prior monthly release — a meaningful move lower of -0.1%. Downward moves on inflation indicators usually carry directional information about the cycle; pair this reading with related series before drawing strong conclusions.
Monthly publication makes this a primary cyclical indicator. Each release moves markets and feeds into Federal Reserve policy debate. Watch year-over-year change rather than month-over-month for the cleanest read on direction; the headline monthly print often gets revised in subsequent releases.
What This Means for Business
Inflation at 2.8% remains above the Federal Reserve's 2% target but has moderated significantly from the 2022 peak of 9.1%. For executives, this means input costs are still rising faster than the Fed's comfort zone, but the pricing environment is stabilizing. Companies with strong pricing power can pass through cost increases; those in competitive markets face margin pressure. The Fed is unlikely to cut rates aggressively until CPI moves closer to 2%.
For deeper context on how CPI Inflation fits into the broader macro picture, see the learn library; for live cross-checks against related series, browse the full indicators dashboard; for tools that translate the reading into business outputs (DCF discount rates, runway projections), see the calculators page. Authoritative external context is available at the Federal Reserve’s FRED database, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the SEC EDGAR system for company-level filings.
About CPI Inflation
The Consumer Price Index measures the average change over time in the prices paid by urban consumers for a basket of goods and services. The year-over-year change is the most commonly cited measure of inflation.
Methodology
The BLS tracks prices of approximately 80,000 items across 75 urban areas monthly. The CPI basket weights are based on the Consumer Expenditure Survey — housing (36%), transportation (16%), food (13%), and medical care (9%) are the largest components. Year-over-year change compares the current month's index to the same month one year prior.
The series is published by Bureau of Labor Statistics under series identifier CPIAUCSL. ExecBolt does not estimate, model, or interpolate this value — every reading on this page is pulled directly from the publishing agency’s primary release. For full sourcing and citation guidance, see the methodology page.
Related Indicators
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Consumer Price Index (CPI) — Year-over-Year right now?
Consumer Price Index (CPI) — Year-over-Year is currently 2.8%, down -0.1% from the previous monthly reading. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, series CPIAUCSL, last updated 2026-03-12.
How is CPI Inflation calculated?
The BLS tracks prices of approximately 80,000 items across 75 urban areas monthly. The CPI basket weights are based on the Consumer Expenditure Survey — housing (36%), transportation (16%), food (13%), and medical care (9%) are the largest components. Year-over-year change compares the current month's index to the same month one year prior.
Where can I verify this number?
Consumer Price Index (CPI) — Year-over-Year is published by Bureau of Labor Statistics. The primary release is available at https://www.bls.gov/cpi/; the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics hosts the historical series and provides API access for programmatic verification.
What is the difference between CPI and core CPI?
Core CPI excludes volatile food and energy prices to show the underlying inflation trend. The Fed prefers core measures because food and energy prices fluctuate due to supply shocks (weather, geopolitics) rather than monetary policy. Core CPI typically runs 0.5-1.0 percentage points different from headline CPI.
How does inflation affect business strategy?
Inflation affects every aspect of business: input costs rise, wage demands increase, and consumers become more price-sensitive. Companies with pricing power (strong brands, essential products) can pass through costs. Those without pricing power face margin compression. Inflation also increases the hurdle rate for capital investments — projects must return more than the inflation rate to generate real value.
Why does the Fed target 2% inflation?
The Fed targets 2% because it provides a buffer against deflation (which is harder to fight) while being low enough that consumers and businesses don't need to factor significant price changes into daily decisions. Zero inflation risks deflation spirals; higher inflation erodes purchasing power and creates economic instability.