Consumer Price Index

Consumer Price Index Summary

Consumer Price Index - December 2011

 The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) was
 unchanged in December on a seasonally adjusted basis, the U.S. Bureau
 of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the last 12 months, the all
 items index increased 3.0 percent before seasonal adjustment.

 Similar to last month, the energy index declined in December and
 offset increases in other indexes. The gasoline index declined for
 the third month in a row and the household energy index declined as
 well. The food index rose in December, with the index for food at
 home turning up after declining last month.

 The index for all items less food and energy increased 0.1 percent in
 December after rising 0.2 percent in November. The indexes for
 shelter, recreation, medical care, and tobacco all posted increases,
 while the indexes for used cars and trucks, new vehicles, and apparel
 all declined.

 The all items index has risen 3.0 percent over the last 12 months, a
 decline from last month's 3.4 percent figure. Recent declines in the
 energy index have brought its 12-month change down to 6.6 percent
 from 19.3 percent in September. The 12-month change in the index for
 all items less food and energy held at 2.2 percent, while the 12-
 month change in the food index edged up from 4.6 percent to 4.7
 percent.

 Table A. Percent changes in CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city
 average

                                  Seasonally adjusted changes from
                                          preceding month
                                                                          Un-
                                                                       adjusted
                                                                        12-mos.
                              June  July  Aug.  Sep.  Oct.  Nov.  Dec.   ended
                              2011  2011  2011  2011  2011  2011  2011   Dec.
                                                                         2011  

 All items..................   -.2    .5    .4    .3   -.1    .0    .0      3.0
  Food......................    .2    .4    .5    .4    .1    .1    .2      4.7
   Food at home.............    .2    .6    .6    .6    .1   -.1    .3      6.0
   Food away from home (1)..    .3    .2    .4    .2    .2    .3    .2      2.9
  Energy....................  -4.4   2.8   1.2   2.0  -2.0  -1.6  -1.3      6.6
   Energy commodities.......  -6.3   4.3   1.6   2.7  -2.9  -2.1  -1.9     10.6
    Gasoline (all types)....  -6.8   4.7   1.9   2.9  -3.1  -2.4  -2.0      9.9
    Fuel oil (1)............  -2.2  -1.7   -.4   -.7   -.5   2.7  -1.0     18.0
   Energy services..........  -1.1    .4    .4    .7   -.4   -.7   -.3       .8
    Electricity.............  -1.6    .8   -.1    .7    .4    .4   -.2      2.2
    Utility (piped) gas
       service..............    .4  -1.2   2.2    .8  -3.0  -4.4   -.8     -3.7
  All items less food and
     energy.................    .3    .2    .2    .1    .1    .2    .1      2.2
   Commodities less food and
      energy commodities....    .5    .3    .4   -.2   -.1    .1   -.2      2.2
    New vehicles............    .6    .0    .0    .0   -.3   -.3   -.2      3.2
    Used cars and trucks....   1.6    .7    .9   -.6   -.6   -.1   -.9      4.0
    Apparel.................   1.4   1.2   1.1  -1.1    .4    .6   -.1      4.6
    Medical care commodities
       (1)..................   -.1    .0    .1    .2    .3    .2    .2      3.2
   Services less energy
      services..............    .1    .2    .2    .2    .2    .2    .3      2.3
    Shelter.................    .2    .3    .2    .1    .2    .2    .2      1.9
    Transportation services    -.3   -.1    .2    .5    .1    .1    .1      2.5
    Medical care services...    .3    .3    .3    .2    .5    .5    .4      3.6

   1 Not seasonally adjusted.

 Year in Review

 The CPI rose 3.0 percent in 2011 after a 1.5 percent increase in
 2010. This was the largest December-December increase since 2007.

 The energy index increased 6.6 percent in 2011, a deceleration from
 the 2010 increase of 7.7 percent. The gasoline index, which rose 13.8
 percent in 2010, increased 9.9 percent in 2011. In contrast, the
 household energy index accelerated in 2011, rising 1.8 percent after
 a 0.8 percent increase in 2010. The fuel oil index rose 18.0 percent
 and the electricity index increased 2.2 percent, although the index
 for natural gas declined for the third straight year, falling 3.7
 percent.

 The index for food accelerated in 2011, rising 4.7 percent compared
 to a 1.5 percent increase in 2010. The index for food at home rose
 6.0 percent in 2011 compared to 1.7 percent in 2010. All six major
 grocery store food group indexes rose in 2011, with increases ranging
 from 2.3 percent (fruits and vegetables) to 8.1 percent (dairy and
 related products). The index for food away from home rose 2.9 percent
 in 2011 after increasing 1.3 percent in 2010.

 The index for all items less food and energy also accelerated in
 2011, increasing 2.2 percent after its historical low 2010 increase
 of 0.8 percent. This was the largest increase since 2007. Several
 indexes turned up in 2011. The apparel index rose 4.6 percent after a
 1.1 percent decline the previous year. Similarly, the new vehicles
 index rose 3.2 percent in 2011 after a slight decline in 2010. The
 indexes for recreation and household furnishings and operations also
 rose in 2011 after declining in 2010. A number of other indexes rose
 more quickly in 2011 than in 2010. The shelter index accelerated
 notably, advancing 1.9 percent in 2011 after rising only 0.4 percent
 the previous year. The indexes for used cars and trucks, medical
 care, education, and personal care also rose more quickly in 2011
 than in 2010. In contrast, the indexes for tobacco and airline fare
 posted smaller increases in 2011 than 2010.

 Consumer Price Index Data for December 2011

 Food

 The food index rose 0.2 percent in December after a 0.1 percent
 increase in November. The index for food at home, which fell 0.1
 percent in November, rose 0.3 percent in December as four of the six
 major grocery store food group indexes increased. The index for
 meats, poultry, fish, and eggs rose the most, increasing 0.7 percent,
 even though the index for eggs declined. Also rising in December were
 the indexes for cereals and bakery products and for nonalcoholic
 beverages, each increasing 0.3 percent, while the index for other
 food at home rose 0.4 percent. In contrast, the fruits and vegetables
 index decreased 0.5 percent in December as the fresh vegetables index
 fell 1.4 percent, and the index for dairy and related products
 declined 0.1 percent. The index for food away from home, which rose
 0.3 percent in November, increased 0.2 percent in December.

 Energy

 The energy index declined for the third month in a row, falling 1.3
 percent in December as all of its major component indexes declined.
 The gasoline index, which fell 2.4 percent in November, declined 2.0
 percent in December. (Before seasonal adjustment, gasoline prices
 fell 4.0 percent in December.) The household energy index also
 declined, falling 0.4 percent in December, the same decrease as
 November. The index for fuel oil fell 1.0 percent, the natural gas
 index declined 0.8 percent, and the electricity index decreased 0.2
 percent.

 All items less food and energy

 The index for all items less food and energy increased 0.1 percent in
 December after rising 0.2 percent in November. The shelter index rose
 0.2 percent for the third month in a row. The rent index increased
 0.3 percent and the index for owners' equivalent rent advanced 0.2
 percent. The medical care index continued to rise significantly; its
 0.4 percent increase in December was the third in a row of at least
 that size. The medical care services index rose 0.4 percent with the
 hospital services index up 0.5 percent. The recreation index
 increased 0.4 percent in December and the indexes for tobacco,
 household furnishings and operations, and airline fares posted
 increases as well. In contrast, the index for used cars and trucks
 declined for the fourth month in a row, falling 0.9 percent, while
 the index for new vehicles fell 0.2 percent, its third consecutive
 decline. The apparel index fell 0.1 percent in December after
 increasing in seven of the last eight months. The index for personal
 care, which rose 0.6 percent in November, was unchanged in December.

 Not seasonally adjusted CPI measures

 The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased
 3.0 percent over the last 12 months to an index level of 225.672
 (1982-84=100). For the month, the index declined 0.2 percent prior to
 seasonal adjustment.

 The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers
 (CPI-W) increased 3.2 percent over the last 12 months to an index
 level of 222.166  (1982-84=100). For the month, the index declined
 0.3 percent prior to seasonal adjustment.

 The Chained Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (C-CPI-U)
 increased 2.8 percent over the last 12 months. For the month, the
 index declined 0.3 percent on a not seasonally adjusted basis. Please
 note that the indexes for the post-2009 period are subject to
 revision.

 The Consumer Price Index for January 2012 is scheduled to be released
 on Friday, February 17, 2012, at 8:30 a.m. (EST).

 Redesigning the Consumer Price Index (CPI) Press Release Tables

 The format of the tables contained in the CPI News Release will
 change beginning with the CPI News Release for March, 2012, which
 will be issued on Friday, April 13, 2012.  News Release tables are
 currently available as part of the News Release pdf and html files,
 and independently in html format.  The new tables will also be
 available in Excel format.  In addition, the BLS will begin issuing
 monthly companion Excel files, which will contain additional index
 level and CPI-W information.

 These tables were made available for public comment during October
 2011.  In response to the public comments, the BLS will issue Excel
 files each month, as companions to the News Release.  There will be
 CPI-U and CPI-W files, and in addition to the data contained in the
 News Release tables, the Excel files will contain index values.
 Samples of the companion Excel files will be available with the
 February CPI News Release in March 2012. Samples of the new CPI press
 release tables are available now at http://www.bls.gov/cpi/mock-
 ups.htm.

 In August 2009, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) restructured the
 text of the CPI press release to focus on the price movements of
 three broad expenditure categories, namely Food, Energy, and All
 items less food and energy. Table A within the CPI press release text
 was also updated in August 2009 to reflect this new structure.
 Before August 2009, the text of the CPI press release had focused on
 eight CPI `major groups' (Food and beverages; Housing; Apparel;
 Transportation; Medical care; Recreation; Education and
 communication; and Other goods and services).

 While the text of the CPI press release was restructured in 2009,
 seven additional CPI press release tables continued to be published
 using the eight major groups. BLS has redesigned these press release
 tables, to reflect the focus on Food, Energy, and All items less food
 and energy. Within these three broad categories, CPI item series will
 be further divided into commodities and services. The CPI News
 Release will contain these updated tables beginning with the March
 2012 News Release, to be issued on Friday, April 13, 2012.

 Beyond the redesign in the structure of the CPI press release tables,
 several other improvements to these tables have been made.

 The new Table 1 gives a summary of the index series which typically
 contribute to changes in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban
 Consumers (CPI-U).

 The new Table 2 will show the full publication stub using the new
 structure for the CPI-U, including 11 new items series that were
 created to augment the redesign in the publication structure. Table 3
 will show aggregate item series (e.g., Transportation) that do not
 fall under the Food, Energy, and All items less food and energy
 structure.

 Table 4 will show the All items indexes at the local, regional, and
 city-size class levels.

 Table 5 will show the Chained Consumer Price Index for All Urban
 Consumers (C-CPI-U), and presents a history of annual percentage
 changes in the C-CPI-U compared to the CPI-U.

 Table 6 will focus on 1-month seasonally adjusted changes in the CPI-
 U, while table 7 will focus on 12-month not seasonally adjusted
 changes. Tables 6 and 7 will present three additional pieces of data
 to help users better interpret index changes. First, these tables
 will show the `effect' each item has on the price change for All
 items. For example, if the effect of food is 0.4, and the index for
 All items increased 1.2 percent, it can be said that increases in
 food prices accounted for 0.4 / 1.2, or 33.3 percent, of the increase
 in overall prices for that period. Said another way, had food prices
 been unchanged, the All items index only would have increased 0.8
 percent (or 1.2 percent for All items, minus the 0.4 effect for
 Food).  Effects can be negative as well. For example, if the effect
 of food was a negative 0.1, and the All items index rose 0.5 percent,
 the All items index actually would have been 0.1 percent higher (or
 0.6 percent) had food prices been unchanged.

 Second, standard errors for percent changes will be shown on tables 6
 and 7.  Confidence intervals for statistics can be created using
 standard errors; e.g., roughly 95% confidence intervals can be
 constructed using two standard errors. For example, if an item
 increased 3.7 percent, and its standard error was 0.6 percent, the
 95% confidence interval for that price change can be said to be 3.7
 percent plus or minus two standard errors, or 3.7 percent plus or
 minus 1.2 percent.

 Finally, each item series in tables 6 and 7 will show the last time
 that item had a price change as large (or as small) as the percent
 change published that period. For example, if bananas rose 3.7
 percent, and that was its largest increase since November 2007, that
 would be noted in the new tables.

 In addition, most of the existing tables show the `relative
 importance', or weight, of each item category as of the previous
 December. The relative importance columns in the new tables will be
 improved in that they will be updated monthly to reflect the change
 in relative prices over time.

 Finally, there will no longer be any press release tables that focus
 on the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical
 Workers (CPI-W). That said, the CPI-W All items index level and
 percent changes will still be noted in the text of the press release,
 and a companion Excel file with CPI-W information will be available.

 Expenditure Weight Update

 Effective with the release of the January 2012 CPI on February 17,
 2012, the Bureau of Labor Statistics
 (BLS) will update the consumption expenditure weights in the Consumer
 Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) and Consumer Price Index
 for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) to the 2009-10
 period. The updated expenditure weights for these indexes will
 replace the 2007-2008 weights that were introduced effective with the
 January 2010 CPI release. As originally announced by BLS in December
 1998, CPI expenditure weights will continue to be updated at two-year
 intervals.

 Facilities for Sensory Impaired

 Information from this release will be made available to sensory
 impaired individuals upon request.  Voice phone:  202-691-5200,
 Federal Relay Services:  1-800-877-8339.

 Brief Explanation of the CPI

 The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is a measure of the average change in
 prices over time of goods and services purchased by households.  The
 Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes CPIs for two population groups:
 (1) the CPI for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W),
 which covers households of wage earners and clerical workers that
 comprise approximately 32 percent of the total population and (2) the
 CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) and the Chained CPI for All Urban
 Consumers (C-CPI-U), which cover approximately 87 percent of the
 total population and include in addition to wage earners and clerical
 worker households, groups such as professional, managerial, and
 technical workers, the self-employed, short-term workers, the
 unemployed, and retirees and others not in the labor force.

 The CPIs are based on prices of food, clothing, shelter, and fuels,
 transportation fares, charges for doctors' and dentists' services,
 drugs, and other goods and services that people buy for day-to-day
 living.  Prices are collected each month in 87 urban areas across the
 country from about 4,000 housing units and approximately 26,000
 retail establishments-department stores, supermarkets, hospitals,
 filling stations, and other types of stores and service
 establishments.  All taxes directly associated with the purchase and
 use of items are included in the index.  Prices of fuels and a few
 other items are obtained every month in all 87 locations.  Prices of
 most other commodities and services are collected every month in the
 three largest geographic areas and every other month in other areas.
 Prices of most goods and services are obtained by personal visits or
 telephone calls of the Bureau's trained representatives.

 In calculating the index, price changes for the various items in each
 location are averaged together with weights, which represent their
 importance in the spending of the appropriate population group.
 Local data are then combined to obtain a U.S. city average.  For the
 CPI-U and CPI-W separate indexes are also published by size of city,
 by region of the country, for cross-classifications of regions and
 population-size classes, and for 27 local areas.  Area indexes do not
 measure differences in the level of prices among cities; they only
 measure the average change in prices for each area since the base
 period.  For the C-CPI-U data are issued only at the national level.
 It is important to note that the CPI-U and CPI-W are considered final
 when released, but the C-CPI-U is issued in preliminary form and
 subject to two annual revisions.

 The index measures price change from a designed reference date.  For
 the CPI-U and the CPI-W the reference base is 1982-84 equals 100.
 The reference base for the C-CPI-U is December 1999 equals 100.  An
 increase of 16.5 percent from the reference base, for example, is
 shown as 116.500.  This change can also be expressed in dollars as
 follows:  the price of a base period market basket of goods and
 services in the CPI has risen from $10 in 1982-84 to $11.65.

 For further details visit the CPI home page on the Internet at
 http://www.bls.gov/cpi/ or contact our CPI Information and Analysis
 Section on (202) 691-7000.

 Note on Sampling Error in the Consumer Price Index

 The CPI is a statistical estimate that is subject to sampling error
 because it is based upon a sample of retail prices and not the
 complete universe of all prices.  BLS calculates and publishes
 estimates of the 1-month, 2-month, 6-month and 12-month percent
 change standard errors annually, for the CPI-U.  These standard error
 estimates can be used to construct confidence intervals for
 hypothesis testing.  For example, the estimated standard error of the
 1 month percent change is 0.03 percent for the U.S. All Items
 Consumer Price Index.  This means that if we repeatedly sample from
 the universe of all retail prices using the same methodology, and
 estimate a percentage change for each sample, then 95% of these
 estimates would be within 0.06 percent of the 1 month percentage
 change based on all retail prices.  For example, for a 1-month change
 of 0.2 percent in the All Items CPI for All Urban Consumers, we are
 95 percent confident that the actual percent change based on all
 retail prices would fall between 0.14 and 0.26 percent.  For the
 latest data, including information on how to use the estimates of
 standard error, see "Variance Estimates for Price Changes in the
 Consumer Price Index, January-December 2010".  These data are
 available on the CPI home page (http://www.bls.gov/cpi), or by using
 the following link http://www.bls.gov/cpi/cpivar2010.pdf

 Calculating Index Changes

 Movements of the indexes from one month to another are usually
 expressed as percent changes rather than changes in index points,
 because index point changes are affected by the level of the index in
 relation to its base period while percent changes are not.  The
 example below illustrates the computation of index point and percent
 changes.

  Percent changes for 3-month and 6-month periods are expressed as
 annual rates and are computed according to the standard formula for
 compound growth rates.  These data indicate what the percent change
 would be if the current rate were maintained for a 12-month period.

 Index Point Change

 CPI
 202.416
 Less previous index
 201.800
 Equals index point change
 .616

 Percent Change

 Index point difference
 .616
 Divided by the previous index
 201.800
 Equals
 0.003
 Results multiplied by one hundred
 0.003x100
 Equals percent change
 0.3

 Regions Defined

 The states in the four regions shown in Tables 3 and 6 are listed
 below.

 The Northeast--Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New
 York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
 The Midwest--Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota,
 Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.
 The South--Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky,
 Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South
 Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District
 of Columbia.
 The West--Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho,
 Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.

 A Note on Seasonally Adjusted and Unadjusted Data

 Because price data are used for different purposes by different
 groups, the Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes seasonally adjusted
 as well as unadjusted changes each month.

 For analyzing general price trends in the economy, seasonally
 adjusted changes are usually preferred since they eliminate the
 effect of changes that normally occur at the same time and in about
 the same magnitude every year--such as price movements resulting from
 changing climatic conditions, production cycles, model changeovers,
 holidays, and sales.

 The unadjusted data are of primary interest to consumers concerned
 about the prices they actually pay.  Unadjusted data also are used
 extensively for escalation purposes.  Many collective bargaining
 contract agreements and pension plans, for example, tie compensation
 changes to the Consumer Price Index before adjustment for seasonal
 variation.

 Seasonal factors used in computing the seasonally adjusted indexes
 are derived by the X-12-ARIMA Seasonal Adjustment Method.  Seasonally
 adjusted indexes and seasonal factors are computed annually.  Each
 year, the last 5 years of seasonally adjusted data are revised.  Data
 from January 2006 through December 2010 were replaced in January
 2011.  Exceptions to the usual revision schedule were: the updated
 seasonal data at the end of 1977 replaced data from 1967 through
 1977; and, in January 2002, dependently seasonally adjusted series
 were revised for January 1987-December 2001 as a result of a change
 in the aggregation weights for dependently adjusted series. For
 further information, please see "Aggregation of Dependently Adjusted
 Seasonally Adjusted Series," in the October 2001 issue of the CPI
 Detailed Report.

 Effective with the publication of data from January 2006 through
 December 2010 in January 2011, the Video and audio series and the
 Information technology, hardware and services series were changed
 from independently adjusted to dependently adjusted.  This resulted
 in an increase in the number of seasonal components used in deriving
 seasonal movement of the All items and 54 other lower level
 aggregations, from 73 for the publication of January 1998 through
 December 2005 data to 82 for the publication of seasonally adjusted
 data for January 2006 and later.  Each year the seasonal status of
 every series is reevaluated based upon certain statistical criteria.
 If any of the 82 components change their seasonal adjustment status
 from seasonally adjusted to not seasonally adjusted, not seasonally
 adjusted data will be used in the aggregation of the dependent series
 for the last 5 years, but the seasonally adjusted indexes before that
 period will not be changed.  Note: 37 of the 82 components are not
 seasonally adjusted for 2011.

 Seasonally adjusted data, including the all items index levels, are
 subject to revision for up to five years after their original
 release.  For this reason, BLS advises against the use of these data
 in escalation agreements.

 Effective with the calculation of the seasonal factors for 1990, the
 Bureau of Labor Statistics has used an enhanced seasonal adjustment
 procedure called Intervention Analysis Seasonal Adjustment for some
 CPI series.  Intervention Analysis Seasonal Adjustment allows for
 better estimates of seasonally adjusted data.  Extreme values and/or
 sharp movements which might distort the seasonal pattern are
 estimated and removed from the data prior to calculation of seasonal
 factors.  Beginning with the calculation of seasonal factors for
 1996, X-12-ARIMA software was used for Intervention Analysis Seasonal
 Adjustment.

 For the seasonal factors introduced in January 2011, BLS adjusted 29
 series using Intervention Analysis Seasonal Adjustment, including
 selected food and beverage items, motor fuels, electricity and
 vehicles.  For example, this procedure was used for the Motor fuel
 series to offset the effects of events such as damage to oil
 refineries from Hurricane Katrina.

 For a complete list of Intervention Analysis Seasonal Adjustment
 series and explanations, please refer to the article "Intervention
 Analysis Seasonal Adjustment", located on our website at

http://www.bls.gov/cpi/cpisapage.htm.

 For additional information on seasonal adjustment in the CPI, please
 write to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Division of Consumer Prices
 and Price Indexes, Washington, DC 20212 or contact David Levin at
 (202) 691-6968, or by e-mail at Levin.David@bls.gov.  If you have
 general questions about the CPI, please call our information staff at
 (202) 691-7000.

 Recalculated Seasonally Adjusted Indexes to be Available on February
 15, 2012

 Each year with the release of the January CPI, seasonal adjustment
 factors are recalculated to reflect price movements from the just-
 completed calendar year. This routine annual recalculation may result
 in revisions to seasonally adjusted indexes for the previous 5 years.
 BLS will make available recalculated seasonally adjusted indexes, as
 well as recalculated seasonal adjustment factors, for the period
 January 2007 through December 2011, on Wednesday, February 15, 2012.
 This date is two working days before the scheduled release of the
 January 2012 CPI on Friday, February 17, 2012.

 The revised indexes and seasonal factors will be available on the
 internet. The address is
 http://www.bls.gov/cpi/cpisapage.htm. Look under Seasonal Adjustment
 in the CPI and select Revised Seasonally Adjusted Indexes and
 Factors, 2007-2011.

 For further information please contact David Levin by electronic mail
 at: Levin.David@bls.gov or by telephone at: (202) 691-5261.

• Table 1. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U. S. City Average, by expenditure category and commodity and service group
• Table 2. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): Seasonally adjusted U. S. City Average, by expenditure category and commodity and service group
• Table 3. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): Selected areas, all items index
• Table 4. Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W): U. S. City Average, by expenditure category and commodity and service group
• Table 5. Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W): Seasonally adjusted U. S. City Average, by expenditure category and commodity and service group
• Table 6. Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W): Selected areas, all items index
• Table 7. Chained Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (C-CPI-U): U.S. city average, by expenditure category and commodity and service group
• Table 1A. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by expenditure category and commodity and service group
• Table 4A. Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W): U.S. city average, by expenditure category and commodity and service group
• HTML version of the entire news release

The PDF version of the news release

Table of Contents

Last Modified Date: January 19, 2012

Consumer Price Index – Historical Data

Data extracted on: January 19, 2012 (9:18:25 AM)

Consumer Price Index – All Urban Consumers

Series Id:    CUSR0000SA0
Seasonally Adjusted
Area:         U.S. city average
Item:         All items
Base Period:  1982-84=100Download:

1-Month Percent Change

Year	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Annual	HALF1	HALF2
2001	0.6	0.2	0.1	0.2	0.5	0.2	-0.2	0.0	0.4	-0.3	-0.1	-0.1
2002	0.2	0.2	0.3	0.4	0.1	0.1	0.2	0.3	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2
2003	0.4	0.5	0.2	-0.4	-0.2	0.1	0.3	0.4	0.3	-0.1	0.1	0.3
2004	0.4	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.4	0.4	0.1	0.1	0.3	0.5	0.5	0.0
2005	-0.1	0.4	0.4	0.3	-0.1	0.1	0.6	0.6	1.4	0.2	-0.5	0.0
2006	0.6	0.1	0.2	0.5	0.3	0.2	0.5	0.4	-0.5	-0.4	0.0	0.5
2007	0.1	0.4	0.5	0.4	0.4	0.2	0.2	0.0	0.4	0.3	0.8	0.3
2008	0.4	0.2	0.4	0.3	0.6	0.9	0.9	-0.2	0.0	-0.9	-1.8	-0.8
2009	0.3	0.5	-0.1	0.1	0.1	0.7	0.1	0.3	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.1
2010	0.1	0.0	0.0	0.0	-0.1	-0.2	0.3	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.1	0.4
2011	0.4	0.5	0.5	0.4	0.2	-0.2	0.5	0.4	0.3	-0.1	0.0	0.0

U.S. Import and Export Price Indexes

U.S. IMPORT AND EXPORT PRICE INDEXES - DECEMBER 2011

U.S. import prices edged down 0.1 percent in December, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported
today, after rising 0.8 percent the previous month. In December, declining prices for fuels more than offset a
0.1 percent rise in nonfuel prices. Export prices also decreased in December, falling 0.5 percent following a
0.1 percent advance in November.

Imports

All Imports: Import prices resumed a downward trend, declining 0.1 percent following a 0.8 percent upturn
in November. The price index for overall imports rose 8.5 percent in 2011, driven by a 9.2 percent increase
for the index over the first five months of the year. 2011 was the third consecutive year that import prices
rose, advancing 5.3 percent and 8.6 percent, respectively in 2010 and 2009, after declining 10.1 percent in
2008.   

Fuel Imports: Fuel prices fell 0.5 percent in December after rising 3.7 percent in November. In December,
lower prices for both petroleum and natural gas, down 0.4 percent and 4.9 percent, respectively, each
contributed to the overall decline. Despite falling 3.4 percent since April, overall fuel prices advanced 25.2
percent in 2011 as a 27.4 percent rise in petroleum prices more than offset a 9.4 percent drop in natural gas
prices. Fuel prices previously advanced 14.2 percent in 2010 and 62.2 percent in 2009.    

All Imports Excluding Fuel: The price index for nonfuel imports ticked up 0.1 percent in December
following 0.2 percent decreases in each of the two previous months. In December, higher prices for each of
the major finished goods categories led nonfuel import prices up despite lower prices for nonfuel industrial
supplies and materials and foods, feeds, and beverages. Nonfuel import prices advanced 3.4 percent over the
past year after rising 3.0 percent in 2010. Higher prices for nonfuel industrial supplies and materials; foods,
feeds, and beverages; and finished goods all contributed to the 2011 increase in nonfuel prices.          

Table A. Percent changes

Exports

All Exports: Prices for overall exports declined 0.5 percent in December, following a 0.1 percent advance in
November and a 2.0 percent decrease in October. In December, falling prices for both agricultural exports
and nonagricultural exports factored into the decrease in export prices. The price index for overall exports
rose 3.6 percent in 2011 after rising 6.5 percent in 2010 and 3.4 percent in 2009. 

Agricultural Exports: The price index for agricultural exports fell 2.6 percent in December, driven by lower
prices for corn, soybeans, and wheat, down 8.2 percent, 4.0 percent, and 7.8 percent, respectively.
Agricultural prices advanced 0.8 percent in 2011 despite falling 7.4 percent in the final quarter of the year.
Agricultural prices rose 20.5 percent in 2010 and 9.2 percent in 2009 in contrast to the relatively small
increase in 2011. The rise in agricultural prices in 2011 was driven by a 28.1 percent increase in vegetable
prices and a 7.9 percent advance in corn prices.       

All Exports Excluding Agriculture: Nonagricultural prices fell 0.2 percent in December, led by lower
prices for nonagricultural supplies and materials. Prices for nonagricultural exports rose 4.0 percent in 2011
after a 5.1 percent increase the previous year and a 2.9 percent advance in 2009.   

                                     SELECTED DECEMBER HIGHLIGHTS

Import Prices

Nonfuel Industrial Supplies and Materials: Nonfuel industrial supplies and materials prices edged down
0.1 percent in December led by a 0.7 percent drop in chemicals prices. In contrast, prices for nonfuel
industrial supplies and materials rose 6.8 percent in 2011, driven by higher prices for both chemicals and
metals.           

Finished Goods: Prices for each of the major finished goods categories advanced in December and overall
in 2011. Consumer goods prices rose 0.2 percent for the month and 3.2 percent in 2011, the largest calendar-
year increase since a 3.5 percent advance in 1990. Prices for capital goods increased 0.2 percent in
December, and advanced 0.9 percent over the past year. The price index for automotive vehicles ticked up
0.1 percent in December, and increased 3.7 percent in 2011, the largest calendar-year rise since a 3.9 percent
advance in 1993.         

Foods, Feeds, and Beverages: The price index for foods, feeds, and beverages fell 0.4 percent in
December, driven by a 4.8 percent decline in vegetable prices. In contrast, foods, feeds, and beverages
prices rose 6.3 percent over the past 12 months, led by a 41.4 percent jump in coffee prices in 2011.   

Imports by Locality of Origin: The price indexes for imports from China, Mexico, and Japan all ticked up
0.1 percent in December, and each advanced in 2011, up 3.6 percent, 5.8 percent, and 2.3 percent,
respectively. The 3.6 percent increase in import prices from China in 2011 was the largest calendar-year
advance in the index since the index was first published in December 2003, and followed a 0.8 percent
increase in 2010. In contrast, prices for imports from Canada fell 0.4 percent in December and the price
index for imports from the European Union decreased 0.2 percent.    

Transportation Services: Import air passenger fares advanced 1.6 percent in December and 5.7 percent
over the past year. The December increase was led by higher Asian and Latin American/Caribbean fares.
Import air freight prices fell for the fourth consecutive month, declining 0.6 percent in December. Despite
those declines, the index rose 4.0 percent in 2011.    

Export Prices

Nonagricultural Industrial Supplies and Materials: The price index for nonagricultural industrial supplies
and materials fell 0.6 percent in December, led by a 2.9 percent drop in fuel prices that more than offset a
1.7 percent increase in prices for nonferrous metals. Despite decreasing 4.3 percent during the last three
months of 2011, nonagricultural industrial supplies and materials prices rose 7.9 percent for the year.       

Finished Goods: Finished goods prices were mixed in December. Consumer goods prices ticked up 0.1
percent, automotive vehicle prices edged down 0.1 percent, and prices for capital goods recorded no change.
Each of the major finished goods categories advanced in 2011, with consumer goods prices rising 3.6
percent, automotive vehicle prices 2.6 percent, and capital goods prices 0.7 percent.              

Transportation Services: Export air passenger fares increased 1.7 percent in December, driven by higher
Asian and Latin American/Caribbean fares. The index for export air passenger fares rose 10.8 percent in
2011. Export air freight prices ticked up 0.1 percent in December, and advanced 12.6 percent over the past
year.

Import and Export Price Index data for January 2012 are scheduled for release on Tuesday, February
14, 2012 at 8:30 a.m. (EST).

Consumer price indexes in nine countries

                                                Consumer price indexes in nine countries,
                                      percent change from same period of previous year, 1995-2011

                    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              United                                                              Switzer-    United
                    Period    States    Canada     Japan    France   Germany     Italy    Sweden      land   Kingdom
                    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                      1995       2.8       2.2      -0.1       1.8       1.8       5.3       2.5       1.8       3.5
                      1996       3.0       1.5       0.1       2.0       1.4       4.0       0.5       0.8       2.4
                      1997       2.3       1.7       1.9       1.2       1.9       2.0       0.5       0.5       3.1
                      1998       1.6       1.0       0.6       0.7       1.0       2.0      -0.1       0.0       3.4
                      1999       2.2       1.8      -0.3       0.5       0.6       1.7       0.4       0.9       1.5
                      2000       3.4       2.7      -0.8       1.7       1.4       2.5       1.0       1.5       3.0
                      2001       2.8       2.5      -0.7       1.7       1.9       2.7       2.5       1.0       1.8
                      2002       1.6       2.2      -0.9       1.9       1.5       2.5       2.1       0.6       1.7
                      2003       2.3       2.8      -0.3       2.1       1.0       2.7       1.9       0.6       2.9
                      2004       2.7       1.8       0.0       2.1       1.7       2.2       0.4       0.8       3.0
                      2005       3.4       2.2      -0.3       1.8       1.5       1.9       0.4       1.1       2.8
                      2006       3.2       2.0       0.3       1.6       1.6       2.1       1.4       1.1       3.2
                      2007       2.8       2.2       0.0       1.5       2.3       1.8       2.2       0.7       4.3
                      2008       3.8       2.3       1.4       2.8       2.6       3.3       3.4       2.5       4.0 

                      2009      -0.4       0.3      -1.4       0.1       0.4       0.8      -0.3      -0.5      -0.5
                       I         0.0       1.2      -0.1       0.6       0.8       1.5       0.8       0.0      -0.1
                       II       -1.2       0.1      -1.0      -0.2       0.3       0.9      -0.5      -0.7      -1.3
                       III      -1.6      -0.9      -2.2      -0.4      -0.2       0.1      -1.2      -0.9      -1.4
                       IV        1.4       0.8      -2.0       0.4       0.4       0.7      -0.4      -0.2       0.6 

                      2010       1.6       1.8      -0.7       1.5       1.1       1.5       1.3       0.7       4.6
                       I         2.4       1.6      -1.2       1.3       0.8       1.3       1.0       1.1       4.0
                       II        1.8       1.4      -0.9       1.6       1.1       1.4       1.0       1.0       5.1
                       III       1.2       1.8      -0.8       1.5       1.2       1.6       1.1       0.3       4.7
                       IV        1.3       2.3       0.1       1.6       1.5       1.8       1.9       0.4       4.7 

                       Nov       1.1       2.0       0.1       1.6       1.5       1.7       1.8       0.3       4.7
                       Dec       1.5       2.4       0.0       1.8       1.7       1.9       2.3       0.6       4.8 

                      2011
                       I         2.1       2.6       0.0       1.8       2.1       2.3       2.6       0.6       5.3 

                       Jan       1.6       2.3       0.0       1.8       2.0       2.1       2.5       0.3       5.1
                       Feb       2.1       2.2       0.0       1.7       2.1       2.4       2.5       0.5       5.5
                       Mar       2.7       3.3       0.0       2.0       2.1       2.5       2.9       1.1       5.3
                       Apr       3.2       3.3       0.3       2.1       2.4       2.6       3.3       0.3       5.2
                     ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                     NOTE:  These percent changes are based on national consumer price indexes as published by each
                     country. The data have not been adjusted for comparability. National differences exist, for
                     example, with respect to population coverage, frequency of market basket weight changes, and
                     treatment of homeowner costs. The population coverage for these consumer price indexes includes
                     all households, except for the United States, Canada, Japan, and the United Kingdom. For
                     further qualifications and historical data, see "International Indexes of Consumer Prices, 18
                     countries and areas, 1996-2009," August 3, 2010.
                     See http://www.bls.gov/ilc/intl_consumer_prices_annual.pdf

                     PREPARED BY: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics,
                     Division of International Labor Comparisons, June 2, 2011.

Producer Price Index

PRODUCER PRICE INDEXES - DECEMBER 2011

The Producer Price Index for finished goods declined 0.1 percent in December, seasonally
adjusted, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Prices for finished goods moved up
0.3 percent in November and fell 0.3 percent in October. At the earlier stages of processing, the
index for intermediate goods decreased 0.5 percent in December, and crude goods prices moved
down 1.1 percent. On an unadjusted basis, the index for finished goods increased 4.8 percent in
2011 after rising 3.8 percent in 2010. (See table A.)

Stage-of-Processing Analysis

Finished goods

The December decline in finished goods prices is attributable to decreases of 0.8 percent in the
indexes for finished energy goods and finished consumer foods. By contrast, prices for finished
goods less foods and energy increased 0.3 percent.

Finished energy:  The index for finished energy goods fell 0.8 percent in December after inching
up 0.1 percent in November. Leading this decline, gasoline prices dropped 2.3 percent. Lower
prices for residential natural gas and diesel fuel also were factors in the decrease in the finished
energy goods index. (See table 2.)

Finished foods:  Prices for finished consumer foods moved down 0.8 percent in December, the
first decline since a 1.2-percent drop in May 2011. Seventy percent of the December decrease
can be traced to the index for fresh and dry vegetables, which fell 11.1 percent. Lower prices for
pork also contributed to the decline in the finished consumer foods index.

Finished core:  The index for finished goods less foods and energy rose 0.3 percent in
December, the largest advance since a 0.6-percent increase in July 2011. Roughly thirty percent
of the December rise is attributable to prices for light motor trucks, which moved up 0.9 percent.

Intermediate goods

The Producer Price Index for intermediate materials, supplies, and components fell 0.5 percent in
December after rising 0.2 percent in November. Accounting for three-quarters of this broad-
based decline, the index for intermediate materials less foods and energy decreased 0.5 percent.
Prices for intermediate energy goods and for intermediate foods and feeds moved down 0.3
percent and 0.6 percent, respectively. In 2011, prices for intermediate goods rose 6.1 percent
after increasing 6.3 percent in 2010. (See table B.)  

Intermediate core:  The index for intermediate materials less foods and energy moved down 0.5
percent in December, the third consecutive decline. About two-thirds of the December decrease
can be attributed to a 4.0-percent drop in prices for basic organic chemicals. The indexes for
thermoplastic resins and plastics materials and for nonferrous mill shapes also contributed to the
decline in intermediate core prices. (See table 2.)

Intermediate energy:  Prices for intermediate energy goods moved down 0.3 percent in
December after rising 1.9 percent a month earlier. A major factor in this decline was the index for
diesel fuel, which fell 3.8 percent. Lower gasoline prices also contributed significantly to the
decrease in the intermediate energy goods index. 

Intermediate foods:  Prices for intermediate foods and feeds moved down 0.6 percent in
December following a 0.6-percent advance in November. Accounting for nearly half of the
decrease, the index for prepared animal feeds fell 2.2 percent. 

Crude goods

The Producer Price Index for crude materials for further processing decreased 1.1 percent in
December. For the 3 months ending in December, prices inched up 0.1 percent following a 1.8-
percent rise from June to September. The December monthly decline is mostly attributable to the
index for crude foodstuffs and feedstuffs, which fell 2.6 percent. Prices for crude energy
materials edged down 0.1 percent and the index for crude nonfood materials less energy was
unchanged.

Crude foods:  The index for crude foodstuffs and feedstuffs dropped 2.6 percent in December.
From September to December, crude foods prices decreased 3.8 percent subsequent to a 2.9-
percent advance in the previous 3-month period. Accounting for over half of the December
monthly decline, the index for corn fell 11.4 percent. Lower prices for slaughter steers and
heifers and for slaughter hogs also were significant factors in the decline in the crude foods
index. (See table 2.)

Crude energy:  Prices for crude energy materials inched down 0.1 percent in December. For the
3 months ending in December, the crude energy materials index increased 8.0 percent after
falling 0.3 percent from June to September. The December monthly decrease was the result of a
4.6-percent drop in natural gas prices.

Crude core:  The index for crude nonfood materials less energy was unchanged in December. In
the fourth quarter, the crude core index declined 6.7 percent compared with a 3.0-percent
advance from June to September. In December, higher prices for iron and steel scrap and for
corrugated wastepaper offset declining prices for nonferrous metals and corn.

Services Analysis

Trade industries:  The Producer Price Index for the net output of total trade industries moved
up 0.2 percent in December after no change in November. (Trade indexes measure changes in
margins received by wholesalers and retailers.) Leading the December advance were margins
received by merchant wholesalers of durable goods, which climbed 1.4 percent. Higher margins
received by discount department stores and by automotive parts and accessories stores also were
factors in the rise in the total trade industries index. In 2011, the total trade industries index rose
3.4 percent.

Transportation and warehousing industries:  The Producer Price Index for the net output of
transportation and warehousing industries moved up 0.6 percent in December following a 0.2-
percent decline in November. Over seventy percent of this rise can be traced to prices received by
the scheduled passenger air transportation industry, which climbed 2.7 percent. Higher prices
received by the industries for long-distance general freight trucking (truckload) and local general
freight trucking also contributed to the increase in the transportation and warehousing industries
index. In 2011, the transportation and warehousing industries index moved up 6.1 percent.

Traditional service industries:  The Producer Price Index for the net output of total traditional
service industries edged down 0.1 percent in December following a 0.1-percent advance in
November. The index for the commercial banking industry led the December decrease, falling 0.9
percent. Lower prices received by the industries for non-casino hotels and motels and for
passenger car rental also were factors in the decline in the total traditional service industries
index. In 2011, the total traditional service industries index increased 1.9 percent.
____________
The Producer Price Index for January 2012 is scheduled to be released on Thursday,
February 16, 2012 at 8:30 a.m. (EST).

         Recalculated Seasonal Adjustment Factors and Relative Importance Figures to be
                                   Available on February 14, 2012

Each year with the release of PPI data for January, seasonal adjustment factors are recalculated
to reflect price movements from the just-completed calendar year. The following information will
be available on February 14, 2012 (two workdays prior to the release of PPI data for January
2012 on February 16):

* Direct seasonal factors for commodity indexes for the year 2012,

* Recalculated seasonal factors for the last 5 years (2007-2011) for the commodity indexes, 

* Recalculated seasonal factors for the last 5 years (2007-2011) for the stage-of-processing
indexes.

This routine annual calculation may result in revisions to seasonally adjusted indexes for the
previous 5 years, which will be available on the BLS website. In addition, December 2011
relative importance figures will be available on February 14, 2012.

To obtain this information, visit the PPI website at www.bls.gov/ppi or call the Division of
Industrial Prices and Price Indexes, Section of Index Analysis and Public Information at (202)
691-7705.

                                    PPI Weights to be Updated

The Bureau of Labor Statistics will soon update the value weights used to calculate Producer
Price Indexes to more accurately reflect recent production and marketing patterns. The new
weights, which will be introduced in February 2012 with the release of January 2012 index data,
will be based on shipment values from the year 2007. These value weights come from the Census
of Manufactures, the Census of Mining, the Census of Services, and the Census of Agriculture.
PPI weights have been based on 2002 census shipment values since January 2007.

All PPIs will be affected by this weight update, including all the industry net output indexes, as
well as indexes for traditional commodity groupings. In addition, weights will be updated from
the 2002 to the 2007 census for all stage-of-processing indexes, durability of product indexes,
and special commodity-grouping indexes. This weight revision will not change any arithmetic
reference bases for indexes, the dates when PPIs were set to 100.

The basic structures of the PPI commodity and stage-of-processing classification systems will not
change as a result of the weight revision. The PPIs classified according to the North American
Industry Classification System (NAICS), however, will be updated in February 2012 with the
release of January 2012 index data to reflect 2012 NAICS definitions established by the U.S.
Census Bureau. The weight update will also result in significant shifts in the relative importance
of various industries and products. These shifts will impact aggregate indexes in a manner
commensurate with the relative gains and losses in value weights from 2002 to 2007.

Commodity and stage-of-processing relative importance figures for December 2011 will be
available on February 14, 2012, two business days prior to the release of January 2012 PPI data.
This information will be available on the PPI website at www.bls.gov/ppi or by calling the
Division of Industrial Prices and Price Indexes, Section of Index Analysis and Public
Information at (202) 691-7705.

• Technical notes
• Table 1. Producer price indexes and percent changes by stage of processing
• Table 2. Producer price indexes and percent changes for selected commodity groupings by stage of processing
• Table 3. Producer price indexes for selected commodity groupings
• Table 4. Producer price indexes for the net output of selected industries and industry groups, not seasonally adjusted
• Table 5. Producer price indexes by stage of processing, seasonally adjusted
• HTML version of the entire news release

The PDF version of the news release

Table of Contents

Last Modified Date: January 18, 2012

Producer Price Index – Historical Data

Data extracted on: January 18, 2012 (9:19:08 AM)

Producer Price Index-Commodities

Series Id:  WPSSOP3000
Seasonally Adjusted
Group:      Stage of processing
Item:       Finished goods
Base Date:  198200Download:

1-Month Percent Change

Year	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Annual
2001	0.9	0.1	-0.5	0.6	0.2	-0.4	-1.2	0.4	0.4	-1.6	-0.4	-0.4
2002	-0.2	0.2	0.6	-0.1	-0.2	0.3	-0.1	0.1	0.4	0.6	0.0	-0.2
2003	1.0	1.1	0.9	-1.3	-0.2	0.6	0.1	0.6	0.2	0.6	-0.1	0.3
2004	0.6	-0.1	0.3	0.7	0.8	0.0	-0.1	0.3	0.1	1.6	0.6	-0.5
2005	0.3	0.5	0.7	0.3	-0.2	0.0	0.7	0.8	1.6	1.1	-1.1	0.6
2006	0.6	-1.1	0.4	0.8	0.0	0.5	-0.2	0.7	-1.2	-0.9	0.8	0.7
2007	-0.3	1.2	1.0	0.9	0.5	0.0	0.5	-1.0	0.9	0.8	2.0	-0.4
2008	0.9	0.4	1.0	0.5	1.5	1.6	1.2	-1.1	0.2	-2.6	-2.9	-1.7
2009	0.8	-0.1	-0.8	0.6	0.1	1.9	-1.3	1.4	-0.3	0.2	1.4	0.3
2010	1.1	-0.4	0.7	-0.1	-0.2	-0.3	0.1	0.6	0.3	0.6	0.5	0.9
2011	1.0	1.5	0.7	0.8	0.1	-0.3	0.3	0.2	0.7(P)	-0.3(P)	0.3(P)	-0.1(P)
P : Preliminary. All indexes are subject to revision four months after original publication.