Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices

Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices

A measure of inflation used by the European Central Bank that considers what people spend on important goods and services. It is calculated by taking the average of changes in price to a basket of goods and services compiled by EU member states. The goods and services in the basket are weighted according to their perceived importance. The HICP is considered a primary tool in determining how people are experiencing inflation. The European Central Bank attempts to keep inflation as measured by the HICP a little bit below 2% in the medium term.