The Commodity Research Bureau (CRB) Index is a benchmark that tracks the overall price movements of a diversified basket of commodity futures, including energy, agriculture, and metals. It is widely used as a barometer of global commodity price trends and as an early indicator of inflationary pressures. Macro traders and economists watch the CRB Index closely because sustained moves in commodity prices often foreshadow changes in consumer inflation data.
Example
“The CRB Index climbed to its highest level in a year, reinforcing expectations that headline inflation would remain elevated in the coming months.”