Primerica Household Budget Index™ Data: Middle-Income Purchasing Power Held Steady in June
The Consumer Price Index (CPI), which measures inflation for a comprehensive basket of goods for all U.S. households, came in at 2.7% in June, its highest reading since January. Adjusting the CPI to narrow the impact of inflation to focus specifically on middle-income households and necessity items as used in the HBI™ metric (food, utilities, gas, auto insurance, and health care) increases it to an estimated 3.1%.
For more information on the Primerica Household Budget Index™ metric, visit www.householdbudgetindex.com.
About the Primerica Household Budget Index™ (HBI™) Data
The Primerica Household Budget Index™ (HBI™) data is constructed monthly on behalf of Primerica by its chief economic consultant Amy Crews Cutts, PhD, CBE ®. The index measures the purchasing power of middle-income families with household incomes from $30,000 to $130,000 and is developed using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. Bureau of Census, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. The index looks at the cost of necessities including food, gas, auto insurance, utilities, and health care and earned income to track differences in inflation and wage growth.
Primerica's HBI™ metric was created to fill an information void around the economy's impact on middle-income families. Metrics like the Consumer Price Index (CPI) measure overall inflation but don't offer a clear picture of how it impacts middle-income Americans. Middle-income households play a key role in driving consumer spending and the overall economy as they account for over 55% of the U.S. population. The purchasing power of middle-income families are a key barometer of real-time economic trends. Understanding middle-income households' purchasing power is important because it shows whether they are gaining financial ground or falling behind.
The HBI™ data uses January 2019 as its baseline, with the value set to 100% at that point in time.
Periodically, prior HBI™ values may be modified due to revisions in the CPI series and Consumer Expenditure Survey releases by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Beginning with the December 2024 release of the index, the expenditure weights have been updated to the most recent (Q1 2024) data and auto insurance has been added to the group of necessity items. For more information, visit householdbudgetindex.com.
About Primerica, Inc.
Primerica, Inc., headquartered in Duluth, GA, is a leading provider of financial products and services to middle-income households in North America. Independent licensed representatives educate Primerica clients about how to better prepare for a more secure financial future by assessing their needs and providing appropriate solutions through term life insurance, which we underwrite, and mutual funds, annuities and other financial products, which we distribute primarily on behalf of third parties. We insured over 5.5 million lives and had approximately 3.0 million client investment accounts on December 31, 2024. Primerica, through its insurance company subsidiaries, was the #3 issuer of Term Life insurance coverage in the United States and Canada in 2024. Primerica stock is included in the S&P MidCap 400 and the Russell 1000 stock indices and is traded on The New York Stock Exchange under the symbol 'PRI'. For more information, visit www.primerica.com.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Yahoo
UnitedHealth Group Announces Changes to Leadership Team
July 31, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) today announced Wayne S. DeVeydt has been appointed its chief financial officer, effective September 2, 2025. John F. Rex, who joined the company in 2012 and has been CFO since 2016, will become strategic advisor to the CEO on the same date. "Wayne DeVeydt combines deep financial acumen and operating experience with the mission-oriented and compassionate approach to health care that is a perfect fit for UnitedHealth Group," said Stephen J. Hemsley, company chairman and chief executive officer. "John Rex has been an exceptional leader, having helped guide our company through substantial change with both strategic vision and strong commitment to our mission," said Hemsley. "I look forward to his continued insights as UnitedHealth Group moves forward." DeVeydt, 55, most recently has been a managing director and operating partner at Bain Capital, working with client leaders on operational improvement and growth acceleration. From 2018-2020, he was chairman and CEO of Surgery Partners, Inc. in Nashville, expanding the operational scale and financial performance of the surgical services firm. He joined Anthem, Inc. (now Elevance) in 2005 and served as its chief financial officer from 2007 to 2016. Prior to joining Anthem, DeVeydt served as a partner with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, with a focus on the health care sector. "There is no organization besides UnitedHealth Group that presents the kinds of opportunities to make a difference in health care, from individual patient care to broad system efficiency, so I am eagerly looking forward to joining the team," said DeVeydt. "I've been fortunate to know John Rex for over two decades and am honored to follow a leader of his caliber." Rex, 63, joined UnitedHealth Group as chief financial officer of the company's then newly established Optum business and previously had spent his career focused in health care across multiple roles and sectors. "This pivotal moment for UnitedHealth Group is the right time for a new yet greatly experienced executive like Wayne DeVeydt, and I look forward to supporting him and the entire leadership team while continuing to advise on a range of matters," said Rex. About UnitedHealth Group UnitedHealth Group is a health care and well-being company with a mission to help people live healthier lives and help make the health system work better for everyone through two distinct and complementary businesses. Optum delivers care aided by technology and data, empowering people, partners and providers with the guidance and tools they need to achieve better health. UnitedHealthcare offers a full range of health benefits, enabling affordable coverage, simplifying the health care experience and delivering access to high-quality care. Visit UnitedHealth Group at and follow UnitedHealth Group on LinkedIn. View source version on Contacts Media: uhgmedia@ UnitedHealth Group Media Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Yahoo
The Motley Fool's Just-Released Report Shows U.S. Inflation Is at 2.7%. Here's How 2 Consumer Goods Staples Are Faring.
Key Points The Consumer Price Index rose 2.7% versus a year ago. PepsiCo and Procter & Gamble have raised revenue via price increases. Have consumers grown weary of higher prices? 10 stocks we like better than PepsiCo › The U.S. Department of Labor released its June inflation reading recently. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) showed a 2.7% year-over-year increase. The figure includes volatile food and energy prices. Consumer staple companies should have an edge during an inflationary environment. That's because they sell basic necessities like food, beverages, and everyday items. These types of companies should have the ability to pass along cost increases to their customers. However, people seem wary about further price increases, since inflation has been running high for some time. How have these two consumer staple companies been faring? 1. PepsiCo PepsiCo (NASDAQ: PEP) sells beverages, snacks, and convenience foods. It produces these products under well-known brands like Pepsi-Cola, Gatorade, Doritos, and Quaker. Nonetheless, despite these products' long-standing popularity, people seem tired of paying higher prices given elevated overall inflation. You can see that by looking at PepsiCo's results, which have seen sluggish volumes in the face of price increases. The company's second-quarter revenue, adjusted to remove foreign-currency translation effects and the effect of acquisitions/divestitures, rose a tepid 2%. This was due entirely to higher prices, which contributed 4 percentage points. Meanwhile, lower volume subtracted about 1.5 percentage points. The price hikes weren't sufficient to offset higher costs, however. PepsiCo's adjusted operating income fell 3%. Investors haven't been too pleased with the company's results. PepsiCo's share price has dropped 16.9% over the last year through July 28. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 index gained 16.8% during this time. When inflation abates and PepsiCo can hold the line on prices, volume and sales growth should increase. That will likely boost profitability. Investors perhaps see the light at the end of the tunnel. The valuation has become more expensive over the last month, with the price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio increasing from 19 to 26. Still, that's cheaper than the S&P 500's P/E multiple of 30. Given the valuation and prospects for better results down the line, patient investors may find themselves rewarded. 2. Procter & Gamble Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG) sells items that people use every day. These include shampoo, deodorant, razor blades, toothbrushes, laundry detergent, and diapers. It sells these products under popular brands like Head & Shoulders, Old Spice, Gillette, Crest, Tide, and Pampers. These basic items should be fairly impervious to price increases. After all, people will still use them no matter what's going on with their personal finances. Nonetheless, consumers have been shying away from its products. Procter & Gamble's fiscal third-quarter adjusted sales grew a scant 1%. Higher prices accounted for the entire increase, with volumes flat versus a year ago. The company's earnings per share increased 1%. The period ended on March 31. It was a similar story in the recently reported fourth quarter. Procter & Gamble's adjusted sales increased 2%, with higher prices and mix each adding 1 percentage point. Volume was constant compared to last year. Management expects a range of 0% to 4% sales growth this year. Procter & Gamble's stock price has dropped 7.9% over the last year. The share's P/E multiple has contracted from 28 to less than 25 during this time. Despite the better valuation, I'd hold off on purchasing the stock. Given the type of products it sells, I'd expect Procter & Gamble to have performed better during an inflationary environment. Should you buy stock in PepsiCo right now? Before you buy stock in PepsiCo, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and PepsiCo wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $625,254!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $1,090,257!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 1,036% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 181% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of July 29, 2025 Lawrence Rothman, CFA has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. The Motley Fool's Just-Released Report Shows U.S. Inflation Is at 2.7%. Here's How 2 Consumer Goods Staples Are Faring. was originally published by The Motley Fool Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Newsweek
a day ago
- Newsweek
Kevin O'Leary Rips Donald Trump for 'Whacking' Labor Bureau Chief
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Shark Tank investor Kevin O'Leary ripped President Donald Trump over his firing of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Commissioner Dr. Erika McEntarfer on Friday after a disappointing jobs report. Newsweek reached out to an economic analyst via email for additional comment. Why It Matters Trump's decision to oust McEntarfer has triggered widespread concern among economists, business leaders and former government officials about the independence of U.S. economic data reporting. The abrupt dismissal followed the release of lackluster job numbers and marked a rare direct intervention by a president in the work of a nonpartisan federal agency responsible for compiling critical economic statistics. The number of new jobs for July dipped well below even modest expectations, with only 73,000 positions added, compared to the Dow Jones estimate of 100,000. This move has now fueled debate over the politicization of federal agencies, the integrity of government data and potential impact on market and public trust in official economic indicators. What To Know Trump announced McEntarfer's firing on Truth Social Friday, also accusing her of manipulating data to benefit former Vice President Kamala Harris around the 2024 presidential election "to try and boost Kamala's chances of Victory." While speaking on CNN after Trump's announcement, O'Leary was asked about Trump's economic policies impacting him as an investor. "I don't look at one day's trading and decide I'm going to change my strategy," O'Leary said. "I want markets to correct. I want them to go up and down. We're used to volatility. We had a bad print on jobs. I did not agree on whacking the commissioner. I don't like that." O'Leary continued: "Whacking statisticians makes no sense whatsoever. You don't shoot the messenger. They used to do that in Ancient Rome. Bad news. They'd kill a guy off the horse. You don't need to do that now. It doesn't matter. This is a job where you just print data. So, I didn't like that story." "I think the market is a little concerned about major trading partners not getting deals yet that make sense. It's not a good idea to have 35 percent tariffs on Canada, we know that that's coming into place at midnight right now, unless something magic happens," O'Leary added. McEntarfer's firing coincided with a significant drop in U.S. stock markets on Friday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 542 points (1.2 percent), the S&P 500 fell 1.6 percent and the Nasdaq composite dropped 2.2 percent. This downward movement was attributed to both weak job figures and a new round of U.S. tariffs announced by Trump. Kevin O'Leary, chairman of O'Leary Ventures, is poised to speak before a Senate joint hearing on April 9 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by) Kevin O'Leary, chairman of O'Leary Ventures, is poised to speak before a Senate joint hearing on April 9 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by) What People Are Saying JB Pritzker, Democratic governor of Illinois, posted to X on Friday: "Donald Trump just fired the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics because she stated the facts. And the facts show his policies are a disaster for the American economy. Trump said he'd be a dictator on day one and that's just what he's acting like." Trump, in an interview with Newsmax's Rob Finnerty on Friday: "We had some difficulties with her, and there had been a lot of questions and we fired her because we didn't believe the numbers today." What Happens Next It remains uncertain who will be nominated as the next permanent BLS commissioner. Trump announced on Truth Social that McEntarfer "will be replaced with someone much more competent and qualified." Former BLS chief William Beach and other Friends of BLS Co-Chairs called for an investigation of Trump's firing of McEntarfer.
