This Week in ESG and Impact Investing

The November 2025 CPI release reported a 2.7 % annual rise in consumer prices, with food up ~2.6 % and energy up 4.2 % over the last year. Core (excluding food and energy) rose 2.6 % — driven by shelter (3 %) and medical services (3.3 %). Bureau of Labor Statistics But the CPI estimates for October 2025 were based partly on nonsurvey data due to the federal government shutdown, raising legitimate concerns about accuracy and potential understatement of real inflation pressures.   Below, we infer impacts on Black and minority firms by linking price trends in key CPI categories to industries and geographies where Black and minority firms are disproportionately concentrated and where their customers spend. 2. Industry Breakout: How Inflation Pressures Hit Minority Firms Differently A. Retail & Consumer Services CPI Signals: Food pricing (especially food at home, meats, beverages) remains elevated.  Used cars & transportation services have seen price ch...

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a 0.2% monthly increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for April 2025, bringing the annual inflation rate down to 2.3%—the lowest in over four years. Core inflation (excluding food and energy) remained steady at 2.8%. While these headline figures suggest that inflation is easing, many Black and minority-owned businesses continue to experience cost pressures across critical sectors such as food, transportation, and housing. Important Note: Ethics Adjusted CPI Given the documented pattern of dishonest and unethical behavior by the current administration, we express serious concern that the CPI data may have been deliberately manipulated downward for political or market-calming purposes. This suspicion is heightened by other economic discrepancies—such as the reported 225,000 job increase in March despite a simultaneous 40,000 rise in Black unemployment—which undermine the credibility of official statistics. Sector-Specific Impacts on Minori...