Over the next 10 years, they expect the Consumer Price Index to average a modest 2.55% annually, according to the Survey of Professional Forecasters from the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. With indexes like the Nasdaq .IXIC touching correction territory, now may be a good time to start putting that cash to use, and accumulate harder assets that should hold up during periods of higher inflation. One corner of the bond market has the answer: Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS), whose principal increases with inflation and throws off interest twice a year at a fixed rate.