Consumer Price Indices Manual

The Consumer Price Index, or CPI, measures the rate at which the prices of consumer goods and services are changing from month to month, or from quarter to quarter in some countries. It is a key statistic for purposes of economic policy-making, especially monetary policy, and has substantial and wide-ranging financial implications for governments, businesses as well as households. This important and comprehensive manual provides guidelines for statistical offices and other agencies responsible for constructing a CPI and explains in-depth the methods that are used to calculate a CPI. It also examines the underlying economic and statistical concepts and principles needed to enable statistical offices to make choices in efficient and cost effective ways and to appreciate the full implications of their choices.