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The Consumer Price Index. URL: http://stats.bls.gov/cpifaq.htm. The CPI is a measure of the average change over time in the prices paid by consumers for a market basket of consumer goods and services. All urban consumers ( CPI-U ) Represents about 87 percent of the total U.S. Population
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The Consumer Price Index URL: http://stats.bls.gov/cpifaq.htm
The CPI is a measure of the average change over time in the prices paid by consumers for a market basket of consumer goods and services All urban consumers (CPI-U) Represents about 87 percent of the total U.S. Population Based on the expenditures of almost all residents of urban or metropolitan areas What Is the CPI? Prof. Leighton
How Do I Interpret an Index? • An index is a tool that simplifies the measurement of movements in a numerical series • Many of the CPI indexes have a 1982-84 reference base Prof. Leighton
How Do I Interpret an Index? • BLS sets the average index level (representing the average price level)--for the 36-month period covering the years 1982, 1983, and 1984--equal to 100 • The bureau measures changes in relation to that figure Prof. Leighton
How Do I Interpret an Index? • The CPI in any year = 100 + (or -) the percentage change in prices from the base year • From the base year to any other year, the percent change is ((CPIyear of interest - CPIbase year)/CPIbase year)*100 • As of 2005, the CPI index is 195.3 • There has been an 95.3% increase in prices since 1982-84 ((195.3-100)/100)*100=95.3 Prof. Leighton
Percent Change Between Any Two Years • The formula for a percent change is ((CPIyear 2 - CPIyear1)/CPIyear1)*100 • The percent increase in prices between 2004 and 2005 is((195.3 – 188.9)/188.9) * 100 = 3.5% Prof. Leighton
Calculating Real Wages • Real wage for a given year (in 1982-84 dollars) • = (nominal wage for yr/CPI for that yr)*100 • Average manufacturing wage in 2002 was $15.30 and CPI=179.9 • real wage = ($15.30/179.9)*100 = $8.50 Prof. Leighton