Irina Drozd
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics mistakenly released consumer inflation data 30 minutes earlier than scheduled on Wednesday, it said earlier this week, an incident that could lead to a broader examination of how the agency distributes important economic data.
“Prior to today’s release of the CPI and real earnings, the BLS inadvertently uploaded a subset of files to the website approximately 30 minutes before the release,” the agency said Wednesday in a statement posted on its website.
CPI data, which is closely watched by markets and central bankers, is scheduled to arrive once a month at 8:30 a.m. ET. In order to prevent premature release, the CPI is subject to strict protocols.
“BLS takes the security of its data seriously and is conducting a full investigation into its procedures and controls to ensure the incident does not occur again.” He said.
The latest CPI report showed that inflation rose less than expected and fell from the previous month. However, certain categories within the inflation measure remained constant, including shelter and services. Stocks rose and bond yields fell on the news.