if they are not counting food or fuel, why bother?
OMG, TV’s just got cheaper!
KMA.
Consumer Price Index Data for January 2014Food
The food index rose 0.1 percent in January. The food at home index increased 0.1 percent, with the major grocery store food group indexes mixed. Three of the six increased, including the indexes for cereals and bakery products and for dairy and related products, which both rose 0.5 percent. The index for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs also increased, rising 0.4 percent. In contrast, the fruits and vegetables index declined in January, falling 0.3 percent, while the index for nonalcoholic beverages fell 0.2 percent. The index for other food at home was unchanged in January. The food index has risen 1.1 percent over the past year, with the food at home index up 0.5 percent. The index for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs has risen 3.3 percent over the last 12 months. The index for cereals and bakery products has also risen over that span, but the other major grocery store food group indexes have declined. The index for food away from home rose 0.1 percent in January and has increased 2.0 percent over the last 12 months.
Energy
The energy index rose 0.6 percent in January as a decline in the gasoline index was more than offset by increases in household energy components. The electricity index rose 1.8 percent, its largest increase since March 2010. The index for natural gas also rose sharply, increasing 3.6 percent, and the fuel oil index increased 3.7 percent. The gasoline index, which rose in December, fell 1.0 percent in January. (Before seasonal adjustment, gasoline prices rose 1.4 percent in January.) The energy index has increased 2.1 percent over the last year, with all major components posting increases, though the gasoline index has increased only 0.1 percent.
Another thing they lack is transparency about adjustments made for quality. Monthly they might try to be fair, but every 3-5 years or so, they redesign their market basket based on what’s currently being purchased and how.