This paper shows that the decomposition of log-change in aggregate labor productivity (ALP) devised by Balk (2013) based on Sato-Vartia indexes is inexact when applied to gross domestic product (GDP) in chained or in constant prices so that sectoral contributions do not necessarily add up to...

The U.S. CPI is based on the Laspeyres price index, an index type that has an upward "substitution bias." Thus, the CPI tends to overstate increases in the cost of living. To address this bias, the Advisory Commission to Study the Consumer Price Index recommended adopting for the CPI a...