Indicators
US CPI Response Rate Stays Weak, Raising Questions on Data
- Share of responses used in calculation still below 2019 level
- BLS had to change in-person collection method during pandemic
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The consumer price index continued to draw relatively weak response rates in 2023, calling into question the accuracy of the widely watched US inflation data.
The share of completed surveys that were used in the CPI estimation stood at 71% in 2023, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said Friday. While that’s been ticking up in recent years, it’s still well below the pre-pandemic trend of near 80%.