Is Official U.S. Inflation Data Still Accurate?

In April’s inflation report, the bureau’s statisticians had to fill in gaps in the data with educated guesses more so than in the past, the agency acknowledged

Last week, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) told a group of economists that a federal hiring freeze had left it unable to contact the usual number of businesses it uses to monitor price changes.

Updated data on inflation guides the U.S. Federal Reserve in deciding whether to change its interest rates.

The surveys also are key in determining cost-of-living increases in Social Security payments and labor contracts.

In April’s inflation report, the bureau’s statisticians had to fill in gaps in the data with educated guesses more so than in the past, the agency acknowledged.