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2025-12-19 02:01:12
Following the release of the latest CPI inflation data by the U.S. government on December 18, several economists questioned whether the data was distorted due to the government shutdown. They pointed out that the fact that housing prices, one of the largest components of the CPI, remained essentially flat over two months cast doubt on the entire estimate. Paul Ashworth, chief economist for North America at Capital Economics, stated in a report that "this may indeed reflect a genuine decline in inflationary pressures, but such a sudden stagnation—especially in more sustainable service items such as rents—is highly unusual, at least in a non-recessionary period." He added, "The end result is that we may have to wait until the December data is released next month to verify whether this is a statistical anomaly or a genuine decline in inflation."
