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Inflation and Consumer Price Index (CPI) definitions

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  • Inflation
    A sustained increase in the general price level across an entire economy, not just individual products or markets.
  • Consumer Price Index
    A measure tracking the cost of a typical basket of goods over time, used to monitor changes in overall price levels.
  • Basket of Goods
    A representative collection of products and services used to assess changes in the cost of living for households.
  • Price Level
    An aggregate measure reflecting the average prices of all goods and services within an economy.
  • Base Year
    A reference period against which current price levels are compared, always assigned a value of 100 in CPI calculations.
  • Inflation Rate
    The percentage change in the overall price level from one year to the next, indicating how quickly prices are rising.
  • Percentage Change
    A calculation method using the difference between new and old values divided by the old value, often used for inflation.
  • Economic Stability
    A condition where price levels and other economic indicators change gradually, supporting predictable growth.
  • Aggregate Demand
    The total demand for goods and services within an economy at a given overall price level and time.
  • Household Survey
    A data collection process where families report their typical purchases, forming the basis for the basket of goods.
  • Nominal GDP
    The total value of all goods and services produced in an economy, measured using current prices without adjusting for inflation.
  • Real GDP
    The total value of all goods and services produced, adjusted for changes in price level to reflect true economic growth.
  • Spending Bucket
    A category within the basket of goods representing a major area of household expenditure, such as housing or food.