Figure 3. Comparison of final Chained Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (C-CPI-U) less Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), Geometric Young formula, and constant elasticity of substitution (CES) indexes where sigma is equal to 0.0, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, and 0.999, 2000–12
Index period CPI-U Geometric Young CES = 0.0 CES = 0.6 CES = 0.7 CES = 0.8 CES = 0.999

Jan 2000

0.005 0.081 0.003 0.046 0.054 0.063 0.081

Feb 2000

-0.027 0.107 -0.028 0.050 0.063 0.078 0.106

Mar 2000

-0.096 0.079 -0.098 0.003 0.022 0.040 0.079

Apr 2000

-0.153 0.028 -0.155 -0.051 -0.032 -0.013 0.028

May 2000

-0.205 -0.008 -0.207 -0.095 -0.074 -0.053 -0.008

Jun 2000

-0.342 -0.017 -0.343 -0.158 -0.125 -0.090 -0.017

Jul 2000

-0.354 0.031 -0.355 -0.138 -0.098 -0.056 0.031

Aug 2000

-0.378 0.013 -0.380 -0.160 -0.120 -0.077 0.013

Sep 2000

-0.429 -0.018 -0.431 -0.198 -0.156 -0.112 -0.018

Oct 2000

-0.487 -0.077 -0.488 -0.259 -0.216 -0.172 -0.077

Nov 2000

-0.628 -0.139 -0.629 -0.360 -0.309 -0.255 -0.139

Dec 2000

-0.760 -0.239 -0.762 -0.476 -0.422 -0.364 -0.239

Jan 2001

-0.748 -0.054 -0.750 -0.364 -0.293 -0.217 -0.055

Feb 2001

-0.822 -0.118 -0.823 -0.437 -0.364 -0.287 -0.118

Mar 2001

-0.842 -0.170 -0.843 -0.479 -0.409 -0.335 -0.171

Apr 2001

-0.928 -0.188 -0.929 -0.527 -0.450 -0.368 -0.189

May 2001

-1.015 -0.174 -1.016 -0.558 -0.470 -0.377 -0.175

Jun 2001

-0.970 -0.111 -0.971 -0.509 -0.418 -0.323 -0.112

Jul 2001

-0.966 -0.062 -0.967 -0.480 -0.385 -0.284 -0.063

Aug 2001

-0.896 0.027 -0.897 -0.404 -0.307 -0.204 0.026

Sep 2001

-0.988 -0.016 -0.990 -0.469 -0.366 -0.258 -0.017

Oct 2001

-0.927 -0.007 -0.928 -0.439 -0.343 -0.239 -0.008

Nov 2001

-1.028 -0.014 -1.030 -0.487 -0.381 -0.267 -0.016

Dec 2001

-1.119 -0.030 -1.120 -0.537 -0.423 -0.301 -0.032

Jan 2002

-1.096 0.020 -1.097 -0.499 -0.382 -0.257 0.019

Feb 2002

-1.167 -0.005 -1.168 -0.545 -0.423 -0.293 -0.007

Mar 2002

-1.171 -0.039 -1.173 -0.566 -0.447 -0.320 -0.040

Apr 2002

-1.208 -0.081 -1.209 -0.607 -0.489 -0.363 -0.082

May 2002

-1.245 -0.115 -1.247 -0.643 -0.524 -0.398 -0.116

Jun 2002

-1.324 -0.147 -1.335 -0.700 -0.575 -0.443 -0.149

Jul 2002

-1.286 -0.043 -1.291 -0.621 -0.490 -0.352 -0.045

Aug 2002

-1.321 -0.042 -1.325 -0.635 -0.501 -0.358 -0.044

Sep 2002

-1.291 0.002 -1.295 -0.598 -0.462 -0.318 0.001

Oct 2002

-1.345 -0.033 -1.347 -0.641 -0.503 -0.357 -0.034

Nov 2002

-1.422 -0.049 -1.424 -0.684 -0.539 -0.387 -0.051

Dec 2002

-1.461 -0.022 -1.462 -0.684 -0.533 -0.374 -0.024

Jan 2003

-1.460 0.039 -1.466 -0.652 -0.494 -0.328 0.037

Feb 2003

-1.555 0.030 -1.559 -0.696 -0.530 -0.355 0.028

Mar 2003

-1.531 0.105 -1.532 -0.640 -0.469 -0.289 0.103

Apr 2003

-1.522 0.071 -1.523 -0.657 -0.491 -0.315 0.069

May 2003

-1.523 0.085 -1.524 -0.653 -0.484 -0.306 0.083

Jun 2003

-1.563 0.104 -1.564 -0.659 -0.485 -0.301 0.102

Jul 2003

-1.562 0.177 -1.562 -0.617 -0.435 -0.243 0.175

Aug 2003

-1.537 0.287 -1.535 -0.543 -0.352 -0.151 0.285

Sep 2003

-1.557 0.315 -1.558 -0.536 -0.340 -0.134 0.312

Oct 2003

-1.599 0.253 -1.600 -0.588 -0.395 -0.191 0.250

Nov 2003

-1.662 0.258 -1.663 -0.613 -0.413 -0.202 0.256

Dec 2003

-1.694 0.290 -1.695 -0.608 -0.401 -0.183 0.288

Jan 2004

-1.624 0.412 -1.624 -0.505 -0.293 -0.071 0.409

Feb 2004

-1.619 0.452 -1.619 -0.480 -0.265 -0.038 0.449

Mar 2004

-1.690 0.419 -1.691 -0.529 -0.309 -0.079 0.416

Apr 2004

-1.721 0.448 -1.720 -0.527 -0.301 -0.065 0.445

May 2004

-1.795 0.507 -1.795 -0.520 -0.282 -0.032 0.504

Jun 2004

-1.932 0.439 -1.941 -0.620 -0.373 -0.116 0.436

Jul 2004

-1.923 0.441 -1.932 -0.618 -0.371 -0.114 0.438

Aug 2004

-1.899 0.485 -1.909 -0.583 -0.335 -0.075 0.482

Sep 2004

-1.809 0.548 -1.818 -0.510 -0.264 -0.007 0.545

Oct 2004

-1.872 0.588 -1.881 -0.509 -0.253 0.014 0.585

Nov 2004

-1.936 0.569 -1.937 -0.541 -0.282 -0.012 0.566

Dec 2004

-1.938 0.544 -1.938 -0.560 -0.303 -0.034 0.541

Jan 2005

-1.955 0.524 -1.955 -0.581 -0.324 -0.055 0.521

Feb 2005

-2.040 0.504 -2.040 -0.627 -0.364 -0.088 0.501

Mar 2005

-2.216 0.439 -2.215 -0.733 -0.459 -0.173 0.436

Apr 2005

-2.260 0.565 -2.259 -0.671 -0.380 -0.078 0.562

May 2005

-2.246 0.529 -2.246 -0.691 -0.405 -0.107 0.525

Jun 2005

-2.326 0.503 -2.326 -0.744 -0.452 -0.148 0.499

Jul 2005

-2.404 0.632 -2.404 -0.695 -0.382 -0.058 0.629

Aug 2005

-2.388 0.826 -2.388 -0.564 -0.235 0.106 0.822

Sep 2005

-2.535 1.184 -2.535 -0.376 -0.001 0.383 1.180

Oct 2005

-2.626 1.048 -2.625 -0.502 -0.130 0.251 1.044

Nov 2005

-2.546 0.752 -2.546 -0.671 -0.333 0.015 0.749

Dec 2005

-2.505 0.689 -2.505 -0.701 -0.372 -0.033 0.685

Jan 2006

-2.613 0.728 -2.605 -0.716 -0.374 -0.021 0.724

Feb 2006

-2.669 0.634 -2.664 -0.798 -0.460 -0.109 0.630

Mar 2006

-2.735 0.619 -2.728 -0.832 -0.489 -0.134 0.615

Apr 2006

-2.778 0.802 -2.778 -0.734 -0.368 0.008 0.798

May 2006

-2.851 0.900 -2.851 -0.699 -0.317 0.075 0.896

Jun 2006

-2.840 0.953 -2.840 -0.666 -0.279 0.118 0.949

Jul 2006

-2.862 1.094 -2.862 -0.593 -0.190 0.224 1.089

Aug 2006

-2.869 1.101 -2.868 -0.593 -0.188 0.227 1.097

Sep 2006

-2.770 0.869 -2.770 -0.701 -0.328 0.057 0.865

Oct 2006

-2.803 0.654 -2.803 -0.848 -0.492 -0.125 0.650

Nov 2006

-2.838 0.611 -2.837 -0.890 -0.535 -0.168 0.607

Dec 2006

-2.912 0.633 -2.912 -0.907 -0.543 -0.166 0.628

Jan 2007

-2.956 0.610 -2.957 -0.941 -0.574 -0.195 0.606

Feb 2007

-3.053 0.558 -3.052 -1.011 -0.640 -0.256 0.554

Mar 2007

-3.118 0.668 -3.117 -0.968 -0.580 -0.179 0.663

Apr 2007

-3.157 0.835 -3.156 -0.877 -0.469 -0.049 0.830

May 2007

-3.281 0.974 -3.281 -0.833 -0.400 0.044 0.970

Jun 2007

-3.374 0.933 -3.374 -0.899 -0.460 -0.010 0.928

Jul 2007

-3.405 0.944 -3.404 -0.920 -0.477 -0.022 0.939

Aug 2007

-3.267 0.934 -3.266 -0.869 -0.439 0.003 0.930

Sep 2007

-3.258 0.940 -3.257 -0.861 -0.432 0.010 0.935

Oct 2007

-3.275 0.914 -3.272 -0.884 -0.456 -0.015 0.909

Nov 2007

-3.417 1.033 -3.416 -0.861 -0.408 0.057 1.028

Dec 2007

-3.519 0.936 -3.518 -0.963 -0.509 -0.042 0.931

Jan 2008

-3.568 0.940 -3.567 -0.981 -0.522 -0.050 0.935

Feb 2008

-3.549 0.970 -3.547 -0.956 -0.495 -0.022 0.965

Mar 2008

-3.567 1.097 -3.565 -0.885 -0.411 0.077 1.092

Apr 2008

-3.544 1.254 -3.542 -0.780 -0.292 0.209 1.249

May 2008

-3.562 1.516 -3.561 -0.623 -0.108 0.419 1.510

Jun 2008

-3.725 1.722 -3.723 -0.555 -0.005 0.557 1.716

Jul 2008

-3.796 1.804 -3.794 -0.536 0.030 0.607 1.798

Aug 2008

-3.598 1.750 -3.597 -0.501 0.041 0.596 1.744

Sep 2008

-3.461 1.775 -3.460 -0.434 0.098 0.642 1.769

Oct 2008

-3.199 1.706 -3.198 -0.379 0.121 0.633 1.701

Nov 2008

-3.190 1.731 -3.189 -0.394 0.106 0.624 1.725

Dec 2008

-3.371 1.854 -3.370 -0.399 0.133 0.682 1.848

Jan 2009

-3.377 1.823 -3.375 -0.419 0.110 0.657 1.817

Feb 2009

-3.498 1.639 -3.496 -0.576 -0.054 0.486 1.633

Mar 2009

-3.600 1.564 -3.599 -0.662 -0.137 0.405 1.558

Apr 2009

-3.665 1.493 -3.664 -0.731 -0.206 0.335 1.486

May 2009

-3.657 1.478 -3.655 -0.738 -0.216 0.324 1.471

Jun 2009

-3.691 1.475 -3.689 -0.758 -0.232 0.311 1.468

Jul 2009

-3.679 1.537 -3.678 -0.715 -0.184 0.364 1.531

Aug 2009

-3.640 1.621 -3.638 -0.650 -0.115 0.438 1.615

Sep 2009

-3.634 1.642 -3.632 -0.636 -0.099 0.456 1.636

Oct 2009

-3.673 1.570 -3.671 -0.696 -0.163 0.389 1.564

Nov 2009

-3.766 1.516 -3.765 -0.768 -0.230 0.326 1.509

Dec 2009

-3.784 1.536 -3.782 -0.764 -0.222 0.337 1.530

Jan 2010

-3.780 1.532 -3.779 -0.766 -0.225 0.334 1.526

Feb 2010

-3.827 1.540 -3.827 -0.780 -0.234 0.331 1.534

Mar 2010

-3.885 1.463 -3.885 -0.851 -0.306 0.257 1.456

Apr 2010

-3.932 1.431 -3.932 -0.890 -0.343 0.221 1.424

May 2010

-3.975 1.414 -3.973 -0.916 -0.367 0.200 1.408

Jun 2010

-4.005 1.457 -4.003 -0.902 -0.346 0.228 1.451

Jul 2010

-4.018 1.516 -4.015 -0.877 -0.314 0.269 1.510

Aug 2010

-3.976 1.588 -3.974 -0.818 -0.252 0.334 1.582

Sep 2010

-3.978 1.599 -3.975 -0.807 -0.239 0.347 1.592

Oct 2010

-4.000 1.546 -3.997 -0.847 -0.282 0.301 1.539

Nov 2010

-4.104 1.461 -4.101 -0.940 -0.374 0.212 1.455

Dec 2010

-4.105 1.471 -4.102 -0.936 -0.368 0.218 1.464

Jan 2011

-4.090 1.531 -4.092 -0.897 -0.324 0.267 1.524

Feb 2011

-4.150 1.506 -4.147 -0.935 -0.359 0.236 1.499

Mar 2011

-4.211 1.553 -4.208 -0.934 -0.347 0.259 1.546

Apr 2011

-4.167 1.671 -4.159 -0.820 -0.224 0.387 1.665

May 2011

-4.280 1.658 -4.275 -0.875 -0.269 0.353 1.651

Jun 2011

-4.289 1.606 -4.284 -0.912 -0.310 0.308 1.600

Jul 2011

-4.272 1.656 -4.269 -0.878 -0.273 0.350 1.649

Aug 2011

-4.273 1.700 -4.271 -0.853 -0.243 0.384 1.693

Sep 2011

-4.194 1.795 -4.191 -0.764 -0.153 0.475 1.788

Oct 2011

-4.178 1.774 -4.176 -0.771 -0.163 0.462 1.768

Nov 2011

-4.241 1.735 -4.239 -0.821 -0.211 0.417 1.728

Dec 2011

-4.262 1.725 -4.260 -0.836 -0.224 0.405 1.719

Jan 2012

-4.259 1.807 -4.268 -0.790 -0.169 0.468 1.800

Feb 2012

-4.336 1.863 -4.334 -0.780 -0.148 0.501 1.856

Mar 2012

-4.412 2.005 -4.409 -0.719 -0.066 0.604 1.998

Apr 2012

-4.444 2.045 -4.442 -0.708 -0.047 0.630 2.037

May 2012

-4.413 2.006 -4.411 -0.724 -0.070 0.601 1.998

Jun 2012

-4.412 1.888 -4.410 -0.799 -0.156 0.504 1.881

Jul 2012

-4.415 1.866 -4.413 -0.817 -0.175 0.483 1.858

Aug 2012

-4.473 1.984 -4.471 -0.765 -0.107 0.569 1.976

Sep 2012

-4.526 2.050 -4.523 -0.743 -0.073 0.614 2.042

Oct 2012

-4.569 1.957 -4.567 -0.818 -0.153 0.529 1.949

Nov 2012

-4.600 1.753 -4.599 -0.959 -0.310 0.356 1.746

Dec 2012

-4.671 1.627 -4.669 -1.065 -0.422 0.239 1.619

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.