Import Prices ex-oil

Who: US Department of Labor

When: Around the 13th of the month

What: Indexes are compiled for the prices of goods that are bought in the United States but produced abroad. These prices indicate inflationary trends in internationally traded products. Generally economists prefer to look at the data without the volatile oil component to see the underlying trends.

Why: Changes in import and export prices are a valuable gauge of inflation. In addition, the data can directly impact the financial markets such as bonds and the dollar. The bond market is especially sensitive to the risk of importing inflation.