How fast are prices rising?
Prices are 3.4% higher than a year ago (July 2026), on the CPICPI is the Consumer Price Index, the government's official measure of how much everyday prices changed., the government's main price measure. CoreCore inflation leaves out food and fuel, because their prices jump around a lot and can hide the real trend. inflation, which leaves out food and fuel, is 2.5%.
Why you care: when prices rise faster than pay, the money in your pocket buys a little less each month.
Is America hiring?
The unemployment rate, the share of workers who cannot find a job, is 4.1%, down from 4.2% a month earlier.
About 206,000 people filed new claims for unemployment support in the week ending 2026-08-29.
Why you care: more hiring means more paychecks, and more people with money to spend.
How much does America owe?
That is about $117,300 for every person in America.
Why you care: the government pays interest on this debt with tax money, before it pays for anything else.
How much cash does the government have?
That is the government's checking account balance, roughly. Officials call it the TGATGA is the Treasury General Account, the bank account the U.S. government pays its bills from..
Why you care: when this account runs low, Washington must borrow more or slow down payments.
What does America pay to borrow?
Two-year money costs 4.34%. When the ten-year cost is higher, lenders expect growth and prices to keep rising.
The government actually pays 3.44% on average on the debt it already has (July 2026).
The Federal Reserve's own rate, the one every other rate follows, is 3.63% (as of 2026-09-02).
Why you care: this rate sets the tone for mortgages, car loans, and every other borrowing cost.
How strong is the dollar?
The index is the dollar's price against a basket of the world's big currencies: the euro, the yen, the pound and others. Higher means a stronger dollar.
Why you care: a stronger dollar makes imports and foreign travel cheaper, but makes what America sells costlier for the world.
What does a home loan cost?
This is the average rate America's main mortgage survey reports each week. On a $300,000 loan, every 1% moves the monthly payment by roughly $200.
Why you care: this one number decides how much house an ordinary family can afford, and how fast homes sell.
How confident do Americans feel?
Every month the survey asks American households how they feel about their money and the economy, and turns the answers into one number. Above 80 is cheerful; below 60 is gloomy.
Why you care: confident people spend and worried people hold back, and household spending is most of the US economy.
More numbers worth watching
Eight more gauges, in the same plain words. Each updates on its own schedule, from weekly to quarterly.
Is the Fed's own inflation gauge cooling?
Core PCE prices versus a year ago. This is the inflation number the Federal Reserve watches most closely.
How fast is the economy growing?
Real GDP growth at a yearly pace, last quarter. The broadest measure of whether the economy is expanding.
Are Americans shopping?
What Americans spent in shops and restaurants last month. Household spending is most of the US economy.
Are factories making more?
US factory, mine and utility output as an index (2017 = 100). Rising means industry is producing more.
Are new homes being built?
New homes started last month, at a yearly pace. A live signal for building, jobs and materials.
What does oil cost?
One barrel of US benchmark crude (WTI). It feeds straight into what petrol, diesel and freight cost.
How many jobs are open?
Unfilled job openings across the US. More openings than job seekers means workers have the edge.
How much do people save?
The share of take-home pay Americans saved last month. Low savings mean little cushion for shocks.