The Consumer Price Index is used to calculate inflation, or the change in price of a basket of goods and services, as it impacts consumers; whereas, the Producer Price Index measures changes in selling prices, thereby expressing price changes from the perspective of the seller who produces a particular commodity.
A slide presentation updated with February 2015 data shows the Midwest inflation rate decreased in both urban metros and non-metro urban areas from January to February.
The Producer Price Index data shows that prices in the United States have increased from February 2014 to February 2015 for aircraft (1.7 percent) and slaughter livestock (2.7 percent). During that same time period, prices decreased for crude petroleum (53.4 percent), natural gas (52.8 percent), sorghum (9.7 percent) and wheat (12.6 percent).