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topicnews · July 15, 2025

The inflation report on Tuesday should provide information on the price effect of tariffs

The inflation report on Tuesday should provide information on the price effect of tariffs


Food will be seen on May 15, 2025 in a Walmart supermarket in Houston, Texas.

Ronaldo Schemidt | AFP | Getty pictures

June's inflation report is not so much examined for the information of the headlines, which is in the underlying data, in particular whether tariffs start to have an impact.

The consumer price index, which is due on Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. ET, is expected to show an increase in both the heading and in the core measurements, the latter still far above the target of the Federal Reserve is still well above the target of the Federal Reserve.

But what is really important is the extent to which President Donald Trump's tariffs can hit prices and increase inflation.

“June is the first reading [when] These tariffs will really bite that is economically striking, “said Chris Hodge, head of the US business scientist at Natixis CIB Americas.

CPI, which measures a wide basket with goods and services in the entire US economy, is expected to have a monthly increase of 0.3% for the heading and the core rates, the latter excluding the volatile food and energy costs. Every year it is expected that the index will have an over -fictional value of 2.7% and 3% in the core.

For the Fed, both numbers are still north of its destination of 2%, although the political decision -makers of the central bank use a separate trade department as the main forecast tool.

However, it is even more important that the CPI will give an insight into the introduction of the Trump obligations into consumer bags. When Hodge looks at the report, he will see two key areas.

“I look at cars and look at the clothes, and the reading of the last month was very low for both, which is very contragged for what you would have expected,” he said. “These are two sectors that are very sensitive to increased tariffs.”

In fact, the May reading was steamed overall and seemed to point little up from the limited tariffs that came into force in April. Both the heading and the core CPI only rose by 0.1%per month. New (-0.3%) and used (-0.5%) vehicle prices fell, while clothing decreased by 0.4%and energy prices by 1%.

It is generally expected that these figures turn around, although Goldman Sachs' economists in particular believe that used vehicles still recorded a decline on the basis of trends in the latest car auctions. Goldman predicts a consensus win of 0.2% in the core CPI in June. Fed officials believe that Core offers better guidelines for long-term inflation trends.

On the whole, economists will search for core trends as the best barometer for tariff effects. The category includes articles such as clothing and shoes, electronics, housing goods and furniture.

Goldman expects an increase in car insurance and air prices and a general contribution of tariffs of around 0.08 percent to the core reading. Tariff-impacted sectors such as furniture, relaxation, education, communication and body care could see price hits, said the company.

Economists will also keep an eye on the protection prices that were a persistent component that keeps the readings higher.

“Our forecast reflects a strong acceleration in most core goods, but only a limited impact on the inflation of the core services, at least at short notice,” said Goldman in a note.

The White House will also watch the report closely – Trump and other administrative officers have put the FED under pressure to reduce interest rates, and a higher than expected inflation reading could lead to the central bankers further dig out their heels in the relaxation of the guidelines.

“The FED will ensure that longer expectations are not anchored, and I think the Fed has to see this highlight of the tariff-induced inflation before they cut off comfortably,” said Hodge, the Natixis economist. “We are just at a time when it collapses [the inflation report] In individual components is more useful and necessary than ever. “