The consumer price index continued to draw relatively weak response rates in 2023, calling to question the accuracy of the widely watched US inflation data. The share of completed surveys that were used in the CPI estimation stood at 71% in 2023, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said Friday. While that’s been ticking up in recent years, it’s still well below the pre-pandemic trend of near 80%. The BLS had to adjust its collection methods when the pandemic hit, converting to phone, email and online surveys that had previously been done in person. Response rates for a broad range of data have struggled to rebound, ... (full story)