by Calculated Risk on 4/12/2023 11:23:00 AM

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

According to the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, the median Consumer Price Index rose 0.4% in March. The 16% trimmed-mean Consumer Price Index increased 0.2% in March. "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".

Click on graph for larger image.

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 7.1%, the trimmed-mean CPI rose 6.2%, and the CPI less food and energy rose 5.6%. Core PCE is for February and increased 4.7% year-over-year.

Note: The Cleveland Fed released the median CPI details. "Motor fuel" decreased at a 44% annualized rate in March, and "Car and truck rental" decreased at a 37% annualized rate.

Note that Owners' Equivalent Rent and Rent of Primary Residence account for 1/3 of median CPI, and these measures were up 6% annualized, down sharply from the previous months (based on relative importance in the index). This data is lagged and asking rents have softened in recent months (due to the sharp slowdown in household formation).