Consumer Price Index Fundamentals

Brian Graf is a senior economist in the Real Sector Division of the IMF's Statistics Department, bringing over 25 years of expertise in developing and improving price statistics across various countries. Joining the IMF in December 2010, Graf previously served as Chief of the Division of International Technical Cooperation at the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), where he began his career in 1995. His significant contributions to the field include serving as editor of the Consumer Price Index Manual: Concepts and Methods and Consumer Price Index Theory, as well as co-chairing the technical expert group for the CPI Manual update. Graf's role extends to the Inter Secretariate Work Group on Price Statistics, where he continues to shape global standards in price index methodology. His work at the IMF focuses on enhancing price statistics methodologies and providing technical assistance to member countries, making him a key figure in the development and implementation of international standards for consumer price indices.

Jennifer Ribarsky serves as Deputy Division Chief in the Real Sector Division of the IMF's Statistics Department since 2018, bringing over 25 years of expertise in national accounts and balance of payments statistics. Her career spans prestigious institutions, including leadership roles at the OECD as Section Chief of Sectoral National Accounts and various positions at the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, where she served as Deputy Division Chief of the Balance of Payments Division and Chief of the Investment, Foreign Trade and Prices Branch in the National Accounts Division. Her significant contributions include co-chairing the Eurostat-OECD Task Force on Land and other Nonfinancial Assets and editing crucial compilation guides on Land Estimation and Inventories. Currently, she co-chairs the Marketing Assets Task Team for the 2025 System of National Accounts implementation and focuses on measuring globalization, digitalization, and other aspects of statistical methodology for official statistics. Ribarsky's expertise is evidenced through her numerous publications, including working papers, guidance notes, and contributions to the Guide to Measuring Global Production, establishing her as a leading authority in international economic statistics and measurement methodology.

P. Bhanumati is a Senior Economist in the Real Sector Division of the IMF's Statistics Department, bringing extensive expertise in environmental and economic statistics. Her career spans over two decades, including 23 years at India's National Statistical Office where she gained comprehensive experience in national accounts, sample surveys, and environmental statistics and accounting. As Program Manager for the EU-funded NCAVES Project in India, Bhanumati played a pivotal role in initiating the compilation of environmental accounts in the country. Her international influence is evident through her contributions to various United Nations Statistics Division Expert Groups and her current position as Chair of the UNSD Working Group on SEEA Ecosystem Accounting Indicators. At the IMF, she focuses on macro-relevant environment and climate change indicators, leveraging her deep knowledge to enhance global environmental-economic accounting practices. Bhanumati's work bridges the gap between national statistical systems and international standards, making her a key figure in advancing the integration of environmental considerations into economic analysis and policy-making.