The Core Consumer Price Index (CPI) measures the changes in the price of goods and services, excluding food and energy. The CPI measures price change from the perspective of the consumer. It is a key way to measure changes in purchasing trends and inflation.
In April 2025, the U.S. Core Consumer Price Index (CPI), which excludes food and energy prices, increased by 0.2% from the previous month, following a 0.1% rise in March. This monthly increase was slightly below market expectations of 0.3%. On an annual basis, core consumer prices rose by 2.8% in April, consistent with the previous month's year-over-year increase.
The shelter index, a significant component of the core CPI, increased by 0.3% in April, contributing to more than half of the overall monthly rise in the all-items index. Other indexes that saw increases over the month include household furnishings and operations, medical care, motor vehicle insurance, education, and personal care. Conversely, indexes for airline fares, used cars and trucks, communication, and apparel experienced declines during the same period.
These figures suggest that while overall inflation showed signs of easing, core inflation remains persistently above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target, influenced by factors such as housing costs and certain service categories.
Sources: Investing, Trading Economics, Financial Times,U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
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