The July 2026 Core CPI release, published August 12 by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, printed exactly 2.5% year-over-year—the second consecutive decline and the lowest reading in five months—matching consensus forecasts and the prior month’s 2.6% print. Moderation in shelter costs (3.2% YoY versus 3.3% in June) and slower gains in medical care, recreation, and household furnishings drove the outcome, with the monthly core increase holding at a steady 0.2%. This alignment of actual data with market-implied expectations produced the unanimous 100% positioning on the 2.5% outcome. Only an unprecedented late revision or methodological adjustment could alter resolution, though historical precedent shows such changes are rare after initial publication.