Pertinent Category: Research

Food and Energy Lift the AIER Everyday Price Index

– June 12, 2019

AIER’s Everyday Price Index rose for the fourth consecutive month, posting a 0.4 percent gain in May versus a 0.2 percent gain in the Consumer Price Index. The EPI measures price changes people see in everyday purchases such as groceries, restaurant me …

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Gas Prices Jump Again; Groceries and Restaurants Offset in the AIER Everyday Price Index

– May 10, 2019

AIER’s Everyday Price Index jumped 1.1 percent again in April, more than double the 0.5 percent gain in the Consumer Price Index. The EPI measures price changes people see in everyday purchases such as groceries, restaurant meals, gasoline, and utiliti …

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May Business Conditions Monthly

– May 9, 2019

AIER’s Leading Indicators index rose 13 points to 38 in April, up from 25 in March. March’s result was the lowest since June 2009. The Roughly Coincident Indicators index and the Lagging Indicators index both held steady, at 83 and 67, respectively (se …

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April Business Conditions Monthly

– April 16, 2019

AIER’s Leading Indicators index dropped 17 points to 25 in March, the lowest level since June 2009. The Roughly Coincident Indicators index and the Lagging Indicators index also fell, to 83 and 67, respectively (see chart). March is the third consecuti …

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Energy and Tobacco Prices Surge in the AIER Everyday Price Index

– April 10, 2019

AIER’s Everyday Price Index jumped 1.1 percent in March, nearly double the 0.6 percent gain in the Consumer Price Index. The EPI measures price changes people see in everyday purchases such as groceries, restaurant meals, gasoline, and utilities. The E …

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The Trade War: A One-Year Assessment (Executive Summary)

– March 14, 2019

Anyone who maintains that a $75 billion income tax cut helps the economy must also agree that a tariff hike of $45 billion or more must harm the economy. This study looks back on the unprecedented developments in international trade that happened in 2018.

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March Business Conditions Monthly

– March 14, 2019

AIER’s Business Cycle Conditions Leading Indicators index held steady at 42 in February while the Roughly Coincident Indicators index and the Lagging Indicators index were also unchanged, at 92 and 75, respectively (see chart). Despite having the Leadi …

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Clothes and Gas Boost Everyday Prices in February

– March 12, 2019

AIER’s Everyday Price Index rose 0.4 percent in February after posting four consecutive declines between October 2018 and January 2019. The Everyday Price Index measures price changes people see in everyday purchases such as groceries, restaurant meals …

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The High Cost of Regulating Child Care

– February 22, 2019

Even the most well-intentioned top-down regulation of child care will inevitably increase its costs and likely stifle innovation while having limited impact on the ultimate quality of the care provided.

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February Business Conditions Monthly

– February 14, 2019

AIER’s Business Cycle Conditions Leading Indicators index fell 16 points to 42 in January. The result was the first reading below 50 since August 2016. The Roughly Coincident Indicators index fell to 92 while the Lagging Indicators index dropped to 75 …

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Motor-Fuel Prices Drag Everyday Price Index Down in January

– February 13, 2019

AIER’s Everyday Price Index fell 0.3 percent in January after dropping 0.9 percent in December. January marks the fourth consecutive decrease in the Everyday Price Index and the fifth drop in the last seven months. The EPI measures price changes people …

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