FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  
February 10, 2022 
Washington, DC  

Credit Union National Association (CUNA) Senior Economist Dawit Kebede, PhD, issued the following statement in response to the Labor Department’s January Consumer Index Report:   

“Prices increased slightly in January after showing signs of deceleration in December. Consumers felt the pressure on their household finances due to broad-based increases across several items such as food, utilities, housing, and health care.  

“Prices for new vehicles remained unchanged in January but used car prices increased at a slower rate compared to previous months. This may be an indication of improving supply chains in auto manufacturing.

“A strong labor market is an indication of increased economic activity and consumer demand. It is becoming clearer that there is no reason to keep interest rates close to zero when inflation is record high. The Federal Reserve is expected to increase the benchmark rate by at least 25 basis points next month.”

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About CUNA:             
Credit Union National Association (CUNA) is the only national association that advocates on behalf of all of America’s credit unions, which are owned by 130 million consumer members. CUNA, along with its network of affiliated state credit union leagues, delivers unwavering advocacy, continuous professional growth and operational confidence to protect the best interests of all credit unions. For more information about CUNA, visit cuna.org. To find your nearest credit union, visit YourMoneyFurther.com.  

CONTACT:  
Lauren Williams  
CUNA Communications  
202-672-3396