Chart of the Week: Import Prices as a Leading Inflationary Indicator

PPI came in stronger than many economists expected today. However, it is no surprise to readers of Mike Panzer’s research.

His work suggests that import prices are a leading indicator of U.S. inflation. Import prices were up 1.5 percent in October, the 4th consecutive monthly advance and largest increase since May.

Inflation_import_prices
Source: Michael Panzner

This suggests that inflation is far from dormant, courtesy of increasing import prices.

Random Items:
Mandelbrot fractals and the Markets
Teamsters Find Pensions at Risk
CIA plans to purge its agency
THE HUNT FOR TV’S MISSING MEN
Business Cycles: The Role of Energy Prices
Step Into My Parlor, Said the Spider to the Fly

Quote of the Day:
“Get inside information from the president and you will probably lose half your money. If you get it from the chairman of the board, you will lose all your money.”    
Jim Rogers

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

What's been said:

Discussions found on the web:
  1. cb commented on Nov 17

    Great chart, but it’s not necessarily true that any rise in producer prices are ‘courtesy of import prices.’

  2. Kurt Landefeld commented on Nov 18

    Interesting chart.

    Do we know what fraction of that price spike can be attributed to oil?

Posted Under