It is safe to assume that rising prices are part of our society. It is a rare occasion when we see something actually decrease in price. The general trend of increasing prices for goods and services is called inflation and it affects every one of us. It is not difficult to find general details about inflation and learn the current inflation rate- all we need is a computer with an Internet connection.
The best way to find most information is to go right to the source. The Bureau of Labor Statistics, part of the U.S. Department of Labor, publishes the Consumer Price Index (CPI) monthly. This reflects the change in prices that urban consumers pay for a representative basket of goods and services. The next release of CPI data is scheduled for July 15, 2011.
During a visit to the BLS Web site, consumers can use an inflation calculator to learn how the buying power of their dollars have changed over the years. They can also view CPI history tables, access CPI databases, and find regional CPI figures. Even details as specific as the relative importance of CPI components are provided on this site.
InflationData is a great source for inflation figures that are more precise than even the government provides. Inflation rates are provided to two decimal places and a table reflecting rates for the past 11 years is available at a glance. Rare deflation rates are listed in red so consumers can easily distinguish them from the general rise in prices.
A news feed provides summaries of relevant articles, with the full contents accessible via a mouse click. One of the most recent articles is important to those who buy gold coins. It explains how the gold/silver ratio currently reflects a general movement of investors away from risk, something that is no surprise to precious metals investors.
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