CPI – the Consumer Price Index, aka inflation – has risen sharply, remains high and the trend ahead is uncertain. For consumers and investors alike, this has been an unwelcome and largely unexpected development. Whether at the gas pump or the grocery, prices are rising faster than incomes. Whether bonds or stocks, prices are lower in the year-to-date and higher inflation has been a factor. The CPI is the most frequently referenced measure of inflation. Some CPI relationships can provide perspective for investing ahead.