Consumer Price Index
Consumer Price Index Summary
Consumer Price Index - April 2012
The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) was
unchanged in April on a seasonally adjusted basis, the U.S. Bureau of
Labor Statistics reported today. Over the last 12 months, the all
items index increased 2.3 percent before seasonal adjustment.
The energy index, which had risen in each of the three previous
months, declined in April on a seasonally adjusted basis and offset
increases in the other major indexes. The gasoline index fell 2.6
percent in April and accounted for most of the decline in energy,
though the indexes for natural gas and fuel oil decreased as well.
The food index rose in April as five of the six major grocery store
food group indexes increased.
The index for all items less food and energy rose 0.2 percent in
April, the same increase as in March. Increases in the indexes for
shelter, used cars and trucks, medical care, airline fares, new
vehicles, and apparel all contributed significantly to the April
increase.
The 12-month change in the index for all items was 2.3 percent in
April, the lowest figure since February 2011. The index for all items
less food and energy also increased 2.3 percent over the last 12
months. This is the first time since October 2009 that the 12-month
all items change has not exceeded the 12-month change for all items
less food and energy. The food index has risen 3.1 percent over the
last 12 months, and the energy index has risen 0.9 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.
Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. ended
2011 2011 2011 2012 2012 2012 2012 Apr.
2012
All items.................. .0 .1 .0 .2 .4 .3 .0 2.3
Food...................... .2 .1 .2 .2 .0 .2 .2 3.1
Food at home............. .2 .0 .2 .0 .0 .1 .2 3.3
Food away from home (1).. .2 .3 .2 .4 .1 .2 .3 2.9
Energy.................... -1.8 -.5 -1.3 .2 3.2 .9 -1.7 .9
Energy commodities....... -2.6 -.6 -2.0 .9 5.7 1.7 -2.6 3.1
Gasoline (all types).... -2.8 -.9 -2.1 .9 6.0 1.7 -2.6 3.2
Fuel oil (1)............ -.5 2.7 -1.0 1.4 2.8 2.7 -1.1 .9
Energy services.......... -.4 -.4 -.2 -.8 -.8 -.4 -.2 -2.4
Electricity............. .2 .2 -.1 .0 .0 -.8 .2 .6
Utility (piped) gas
service.............. -2.6 -2.6 -.6 -2.9 -3.4 .9 -1.8 -11.6
All items less food and
energy................. .2 .2 .1 .2 .1 .2 .2 2.3
Commodities less food and
energy commodities.... .0 .1 -.1 .2 .1 .2 .2 2.0
New vehicles............ -.2 -.2 -.2 .0 .6 .2 .4 2.2
Used cars and trucks.... -.4 -.4 -.7 -1.0 -.2 1.3 1.5 3.5
Apparel................. .4 .5 -.1 .9 -.9 .5 .4 5.1
Medical care commodities
(1).................. .3 .2 .2 .6 .8 .4 .0 2.7
Services less energy
services.............. .2 .2 .2 .2 .1 .2 .3 2.4
Shelter................. .2 .2 .2 .2 .2 .2 .2 2.2
Transportation services .2 .0 .1 .0 -.2 .3 .5 1.7
Medical care services... .5 .4 .4 .2 .0 .3 .4 3.7
1 Not seasonally adjusted.
Consumer Price Index Data for April 2012
Food
The food index rose 0.2 percent in April, the same increase as in
March. The index for food at home, up 0.1 percent in March, increased
0.2 percent in April. Five of the six major grocery store food group
indexes rose in April. The index for fruits and vegetables posted the
largest increase, rising 1.0 percent in April after a series of
declines. The index for cereals and bakery products rose 0.4 percent
in April after declining in March. The index for nonalcoholic
beverages rose 0.2 percent, and the indexes for meats, poultry, fish,
and eggs and for other food at home both rose 0.1 percent. In
contrast, the index for dairy and related products fell 1.0 percent
in April, its third consecutive decline. Over the last 12 months, the
food at home index has increased 3.3 percent. Five of the six food
groups have risen over that time; despite the April increase the
fruits and vegetables group is the only one to decline over the last
12 months, falling 1.7 percent. The index for food away from home
rose 0.3 percent in April and has increased 2.9 percent over the last
12 months.
Energy
The energy index, which rose 0.9 percent in March, declined 1.7
percent in April. The gasoline index fell 2.6 percent in April after
rising sharply over the first three months of the year. (Before
seasonal adjustment, gasoline prices increased 1.8 percent in April.)
The fuel oil index also declined in April, falling 1.1 percent. The
energy services index declined slightly in April, falling 0.2
percent. The index for electricity rose 0.2 percent after falling in
March, but the index for natural gas declined 1.8 percent, its sixth
decline in seven months. Over the last 12 months, the gasoline index
has risen 3.2 percent, the fuel oil index has increased 0.9 percent
and the index for electricity has advanced 0.6 percent. In contrast,
the index for natural gas has declined 11.6 percent.
All items less food and energy
The index for all items less food and energy increased 0.2 percent in
April after a 0.1 percent increase in February and a 0.2 percent
increase in March. The index for shelter increased 0.2 percent for
the seventh month in a row, with rent and owners' equivalent rent
both rising 0.2 percent. The index for medical care increased 0.3
percent, with the index for hospital services rising 0.6 percent. The
index for used cars and trucks increased sharply for the second
straight month, rising 1.5 percent in April after a 1.3 percent
increase in March. The index for airline fares also rose
significantly in April, advancing 2.1 percent. The new vehicles index
rose 0.4 percent, as did the index for apparel. The indexes for
tobacco, alcoholic beverages, and personal care each increased
slightly. The index for household furnishings and operations was
unchanged in April, while the index for recreation fell 0.1 percent
as the indexes for video and audio products and for toys both
declined notably.
The index for all items less food and energy has risen 2.3 percent
over the last 12 months, the same figure as last month and the sixth
month in a row it has been either 2.2 or 2.3 percent. The index for
shelter has risen 2.2 percent over the period, as has the index for
new vehicles. The apparel index has risen 5.1 percent, the largest 12-
month increase since January 1991, while the index for medical care
has risen 3.4 percent.
Not seasonally adjusted CPI measures
The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased
2.3 percent over the last 12 months to an index level of 230.085
(1982-84=100). For the month, the index increased 0.3 percent prior
to seasonal adjustment.
The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers
(CPI-W) increased 2.4 percent over the last 12 months to an index
level of 227.012 (1982-84=100). For the month, the index increased
0.3 percent prior to seasonal adjustment.
The Chained Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (C-CPI-U)
increased 2.1 percent over the last 12 months. For the month, the
index increased 0.3 percent on a not seasonally adjusted basis.
Please note that the indexes for the post-2010 period are subject to
revision.
The Consumer Price Index for May 2012 is scheduled to be released on
Thursday, June 14, 2012, at 8:30 a.m. (EDT).
Redesigning the Consumer Price Index (CPI) Press Release Tables
The format of the tables contained in the CPI news release changed
beginning with the CPI news release for March, 2012. News release
tables are part of the news release pdf and html files, and are
available independently in html format. The new tables are also
available in XLS format. In addition, the BLS has begun issuing
monthly companion XLS 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 XLS 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.
In August 2009, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) restructured the
text of the CPI news 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 news release text was also
updated in August 2009 to reflect this new structure. Before August
2009, the text of the CPI news 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 news release was restructured in 2009, seven
additional CPI news release tables continued to be published using the
eight major groups. BLS has redesigned these news release tables, to
reflect the focus on Food, Energy, and All items less food and energy.
Within these three broad categories, CPI item series are further
divided into commodities and services.
Beyond the redesign in the structure of the CPI news 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 shows 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
shows aggregate item series (e.g., Transportation) that do not fall
under the Food, Energy, and All items less food and energy structure.
Table 4 shows the All items indexes at the local, regional, and city-
size class levels.
Table 5 shows 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 focuses on 1-month seasonally adjusted changes in the CPI-U,
while table 7 focuses on 12-month not seasonally adjusted changes.
Tables 6 and 7 present three additional pieces of data to help users
better interpret index changes. First, these tables 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 are shown on tables 6 and
7. Confidence intervals for statistics can be created using standard
errors; e.g., roughly 95 percent 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
percent 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 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 previous tables showed the `relative
importance', or weight, of each item category as of the previous
December. The relative importance columns in the new tables are
improved in that they are updated monthly to reflect the change in
relative prices over time.
Finally, there are no longer any news 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 news release, and a companion
XLS file with CPI-W information will be available.
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 29 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 88 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 2011". 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/cpivar2011.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 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 2007 through December 2011 were replaced in January 2012.
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: 38 of the 82 components are not
seasonally adjusted for 2012.
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 2012, BLS adjusted 31
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.
- Table 1. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U. S. City Average, by expenditure category
- Table 2. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U. S. City Average, by expenditure category
- Table 3. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U. S. City Average, by expenditure category
- Table 4. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): Selected areas, all items index
- Table 5. Chained Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (C-CPI-U) and the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, all items index
- Table 6. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by expenditure category, 1-month analysis table
- Table 7. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by expenditure category, 12-month analysis table
- HTML version of the entire news release
The PDF version of the news release
Table of Contents
Last Modified Date: May 15, 2012
Consumer Price Index – Historical Data
Data extracted on: May 15, 2012 (10:57:45 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:
| Year | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Annual | HALF1 | HALF2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 0.3 | |||
| 2008 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 1.1 | 0.7 | -0.2 | 0.1 | -0.9 | -1.8 | -0.8 | |||
| 2009 | 0.3 | 0.4 | -0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.1 | |||
| 2010 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -0.1 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.4 | |||
| 2011 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | |||
| 2012 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.0 |
U.S. Import and Export Price Indexes
U.S. IMPORT AND EXPORT PRICE INDEXES - APRIL 2012 U.S. import prices declined 0.5 percent in April, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today, following a 1.5 percent increase in March. The April decrease was driven by lower fuel prices which more than offset a small increase in nonfuel prices. The price index for overall exports rose 0.4 percent in April after a 0.8 percent increase the previous month. Imports All Imports: Prices for U.S. imports fell 0.5 percent in April, the first monthly decrease since a 0.4 percent decline in October 2011 and the largest one-month drop since the index decreased 0.6 percent in June 2011. Despite the April decline, import prices rose 0.5 percent over the past year, although that was the smallest 12-month advance since the index last recorded a year-over-year decrease in October 2009. Fuel Imports: A 2.1 percent drop in fuel prices led the overall decline in import prices in April. The decrease in fuel prices followed a 4.4 percent increase in March and was the largest decline for the index since a similar 2.1 percent decrease in August 2011. A 1.8 percent decline in petroleum prices and a 14.1 percent drop in natural gas prices each contributed to the April decrease in overall fuel prices. Fuel prices also fell over the past 12 months as a 45.3 percent decline in natural gas prices more than offset higher petroleum prices that ticked up 0.1 percent from April 2011 to April 2012. The decrease in overall fuel prices was the first 12-month decline since the index fell 14.2 percent for the year ended in October 2009. All Imports Excluding Fuel: The price index for nonfuel prices ticked up 0.1 percent in April after rising 0.5 percent the previous month. Higher prices for nonfuel industrial supplies and materials, automotive vehicles, consumer goods, and foods, feeds, and beverages all contributed to the increase in overall nonfuel prices. Capital goods prices were unchanged. Nonfuel prices rose 1.3 percent over the past 12 months. Table A. Percent changes
| Month | IMPORTS | EXPORTS | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All imports |
Fuel imports |
Nonfuel imports |
All exports |
Agri- cultural exports |
Non- agricultural exports |
|
| 2011 | ||||||
| April | 2.6 | 7.6 | 0.8 | 0.8 | -0.5 | 0.9 |
| May | 0.1 | -0.6 | 0.3 | 0.4 | -1.1 | 0.5 |
| June | -0.6 | -2.3 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.8 | 0.2 |
| July | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.2 | -0.4 | -4.0 | 0.1 |
| August | -0.4 | -2.1 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 1.6 | 0.3 |
| September | -0.1 | -1.0 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 1.9 | 0.3 |
| October | -0.4 | -0.6 | -0.2 | -2.0 | -6.5 | -1.4 |
| November | 0.7 | 3.4 | -0.2 | 0.1 | 1.7 | -0.2 |
| December | 0.0 | -0.4 | 0.1 | -0.5 | -2.3 | -0.2 |
| 2012 | ||||||
| January | 0.0 | -0.2 | (r)0.2 | (r)0.3 | (r)1.1 | (r)0.2 |
| February | (r)0.0 | (r)-0.1 | 0.0 | (r)0.5 | (r)-0.4 | (r)0.6 |
| March | (r)1.5 | (r)4.4 | 0.5 | 0.8 | (r)2.5 | 0.5 |
| April | -0.5 | -2.1 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 2.0 | 0.2 |
| Apr. 2010 to 2011 | 11.9 | 37.3 | 4.6 | 9.2 | 33.9 | 6.8 |
| Apr. 2011 to 2012 | 0.5 | -1.7 | 1.3 | 0.7 | -3.1 | 1.2 |
| Footnotes (r) Revised |
||||||
Exports
All Exports: U.S. export prices increased 0.4 percent in April as agricultural and nonagricultural prices each
contributed to the advance. The April rise in overall export prices followed a 1.5 percent increase in the first
quarter of 2012. Export prices advanced 0.7 percent for the April 2011-12 period, the smallest year-over-
year increase since the index rose 0.4 percent between November 2008 and November 2009. The 12-month
increase in April was led by higher nonagricultural prices which more than offset declining agricultural prices
over the past year.
Agricultural Exports: Agricultural prices rose 2.0 percent in April after rising 2.5 percent in March. The
April advance was led by a 7.4 percent increase in soybean prices. Despite the increases in the past two
months, agricultural prices fell 3.1 percent over the past 12 months. That decline was driven by falling
cotton, corn, and wheat prices between April 2011 and April 2012.
All Exports Excluding Agriculture: The price index for nonagricultural prices advanced 0.2 percent in
April following a 0.5 percent rise the previous month. Rising prices for nonagricultural industrial supplies
and materials, as well as automotive vehicles, more than offset lower consumer goods prices. Overall
nonagricultural prices increased 1.2 percent for the year ended in April.
SELECTED APRIL HIGHLIGHTS
Import Prices
Nonfuel Industrial Supplies and Materials: Nonfuel industrial supplies and materials prices advanced 0.3
percent in April after increasing 1.6 percent in March. In April, a 13.6 percent increase in agricultural
products prices and a 1.5 percent advance in chemicals prices more than offset a 2.3 percent decline in
unfinished metals prices. The price index for nonfuel industrial supplies and materials rose 1.5 percent over
the past year.
Finished Goods: Prices for imported finished goods were up overall in April, led by a 0.4 percent increase in
automotive vehicles prices and a 0.1 percent advance in the price index for consumer goods. Capital goods
prices were unchanged in April as a 0.3 percent increase in capital goods prices excluding computers was
offset by a 0.5 percent drop in computers, peripherals, and semiconductors prices.
Foods, Feeds, and Beverages: Foods, feeds, and beverages prices ticked up 0.1 percent in April following a
1.8 percent increase the previous month. In April, rising prices for vegetables, coffee, and food oils, up 4.7
percent, 1.4 percent, and 1.3 percent, respectively, more than offset a 2.7 percent drop in meat prices and a
4.1 percent decline in the price index for dairy products.
Imports by Locality of Origin: The price index for imports from China fell 0.3 percent in April, the first
monthly decrease since the index fell 0.2 percent in June 2010. Despite the monthly decline, import prices
from China have risen 2.0 percent over the past year. Import prices from Canada, the European Union,
Mexico, and Japan decreased 1.0 percent, 0.1 percent, 0.5 percent, and 0.4 percent, respectively, in April.
Transportation Services: Import air passenger fares rose 0.7 percent in April after falling 1.0 percent in
March. Higher European, Latin American/Caribbean, and Asian fares all contributed to the April increase.
The index for import air passenger fares advanced 10.3 percent for the year ended in April. Import air
freight prices rose 2.3 percent in April and 1.5 percent over the past year.
Export Prices
Nonagricultural Industrial Supplies and Materials: Nonagricultural industrial supplies and materials
prices increased 0.4 percent in April following a 1.2 percent advance in March. The April rise was driven by
a 1.5 percent increase in fuel prices and a 0.6 percent rise in chemicals prices.
Finished Goods: Finished goods prices were mixed in April. Automotive vehicles prices rose 0.5 percent,
led by a 0.5 percent advance in the price index for parts, engines, bodies and chassis. In contrast, consumer
goods prices decreased 0.2 percent in April, while prices for capital goods were unchanged.
Transportation Services: The index for export air passenger fares advanced 1.2 percent in April, driven by
a 9.5 percent rise in European fares. Export air passenger fares rose 6.7 percent over the past year. Prices for
export air freight increased 0.8 percent in April and 5.1 percent over the past 12 months.
Import and Export Price Index data for May 2012 are scheduled for release on Tuesday, June 12,
2012 at 8:30 a.m. (EDT).
- Table 1 U.S. Import Price Indexes, by End Use
- Table 2 U.S. Export Price Indexes, by End Use
- Table 3 U.S. Import Price Indexes, by NAICS
- Table 4 U.S. Export Price Indexes, by NAICS
- Table 5 U.S. Import Price Indexes, by Harmonized System
- Table 6 U.S. Export Price Indexes, by Harmonized System
- Table 7 U.S. Import Price Indexes, by Locality of Origin
- Table 8 U.S. International Price Indexes for Selected Transportation Services
- Technical Note
- HTML version of the entire news release
The PDF version of the news release
Table of Contents
Last Modified Date: May 10, 2012
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 - APRIL 2012 The Producer Price Index for finished goods fell 0.2 percent in April, seasonally adjusted, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Prices for finished goods were unchanged in March and increased 0.4 percent in February. At the earlier stages of processing, prices received by manufacturers of intermediate goods decreased 0.5 percent in April, and the crude goods index moved down 4.4 percent. On an unadjusted basis, prices for finished goods advanced 1.9 percent for the 12 months ended in April, the seventh straight month of slowing year-over-year increases following a 7.0-percent rise for the 12 months ended September 2011. (See table A.)
| Month | Finished goods | Intermediate goods |
Crude goods |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | Foods | Energy | Except foods and energy |
Change in finished goods from 12 months ago (unadj.) |
|||
| 2011 | |||||||
| Apr. | 0.7 | 0.1 | 2.0 | 0.3 | 6.6 | 1.3 | 3.5 |
| May | 0.1 | -1.2 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 7.1 | 0.7 | -2.8 |
| June | 0.1 | 0.8 | -1.2 | 0.3 | 6.9 | 0.2 | 0.3 |
| July | 0.5 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 7.1 | 0.4 | -0.2 |
| Aug. | 0.2 | 1.0 | -0.4 | 0.2 | 6.6 | -0.5 | -0.9 |
| Sept. | 0.9 | 0.5 | 3.0 | 0.3 | 7.0 | 0.6 | 1.7 |
| Oct. | -0.3 | 0.1 | -1.5 | 0.0 | 5.8 | -1.0 | -1.7 |
| Nov. | 0.1 | 1.0 | -0.3 | 0.1 | 5.6 | -0.1 | 1.9 |
| Dec.(1) | -0.1 | -0.7 | -0.3 | 0.2 | 4.7 | -0.2 | -0.6 |
| 2012 | |||||||
| Jan.(1) | 0.2 | -0.3 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 4.1 | 0.0 | 1.3 |
| Feb. | 0.4 | -0.1 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 3.3 | 0.7 | 0.4 |
| Mar. | 0.0 | 0.2 | -1.0 | 0.3 | 2.8 | 0.7 | -2.5 |
| Apr. | -0.2 | 0.2 | -1.4 | 0.2 | 1.9 | -0.5 | -4.4 |
| Footnotes (1) Some of the figures shown above and elsewhere in this release may differ from those previously reported because data for December 2011 have been revised to reflect the availability of late reports and corrections by respondents. |
|||||||
Stage-of-Processing Analysis Finished goods The April decrease in the finished goods index is attributable to a 1.4-percent decline in prices for finished energy goods. By contrast, the indexes for finished goods less foods and energy and for finished consumer foods both rose 0.2 percent. Finished energy: The index for finished energy goods moved down 1.4 percent in April, the largest decline since a 1.5-percent decrease in October 2011. About half of the April drop can be traced to gasoline prices, which fell 1.7 percent. Decreases in the indexes for residential natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas also contributed to lower prices for finished energy goods. (See table 2.) Finished core: Prices for finished goods less foods and energy moved up 0.2 percent in April, the sixth straight increase. Nearly a quarter of the April rise is attributable to a 0.4-percent advance in the index for pharmaceutical preparations. Higher prices for civilian aircraft also were a factor in the increase in the finished core index. Finished foods: The index for finished consumer foods rose 0.2 percent in April, the same as in March. The April advance was led by prices for beef and veal, which climbed 4.3 percent. Intermediate goods The Producer Price Index for intermediate materials, supplies, and components fell 0.5 percent in April, the first decline since December 2011. The April decrease is attributable to prices for intermediate energy goods, which fell 2.7 percent. By contrast, the index for intermediate materials less foods and energy moved up 0.2 percent, and prices for intermediate foods and feeds advanced 0.4 percent. For the 12 months ended in April, the intermediate goods index advanced 1.1 percent, the seventh straight month of slowing year-over-year increases following a 10.4-percent rise for the 12 months ended September 2011. (See table B.) Intermediate energy: Prices for intermediate energy goods moved down 2.7 percent in April, the largest decline since a 3.0-percent drop in February 2010. A major factor in the April decrease was the index for diesel fuel, which fell 4.2 percent. Declines in the indexes for jet fuel and gasoline also contributed significantly to lower intermediate energy goods prices. (See table 2.) Intermediate core: The index for intermediate goods less foods and energy moved up 0.2 percent in April, the fourth straight increase. More than eighty percent of the April advance can be attributed to the index for primary basic organic chemicals, which rose 2.5 percent. Higher prices for structural, architectural, and pre-engineered metal products also contributed to the increase in the intermediate core index. Intermediate foods: The index for intermediate foods and feeds advanced 0.4 percent in April, the second consecutive increase. A 2.1-percent rise in prices for prepared animal feeds was a major factor in the April advance in the intermediate foods index. Crude goods The Producer Price Index for crude materials for further processing declined 4.4 percent in April. For the 3 months ended in April, prices for crude materials fell 6.4 percent following a 2.5- percent increase for the 3 months ended in January. In April, the monthly decline in the crude goods index was broad based, with prices for crude energy materials dropping 6.8 percent, the crude foodstuffs and feedstuffs index decreasing 3.5 percent, and prices for crude nonfood materials less energy declining 1.8 percent. (See table B.) Crude energy: The index for crude energy materials fell 6.8 percent in April. From January to April, prices for crude energy materials dropped 15.1 percent subsequent to a 6.6-percent advance for the 3 months ended in January. Almost three-fourths of the April monthly decline can be traced to the index for crude petroleum, which decreased 7.9 percent. Lower prices for natural gas also were a factor in the drop in the crude energy materials index. (See table 2.) Crude foods: Prices for crude foodstuffs and feedstuffs moved down 3.5 percent in April. For the 3 months ended in April, the crude foods index declined 0.3 percent after edging down 0.1 percent from October to January. In April, about one-third of the monthly decrease can be attributed to a 12.0-percent drop in the index for slaughter chickens. Lower prices for corn also contributed to the decline in the crude foods index. Crude core: The index for crude nonfood materials less energy decreased 1.8 percent in April. For the 3 months ended in April, crude core prices moved down 0.9 percent after declining 1.0 percent for the 3 months ended in January. Nearly forty percent of the monthly decrease in April can be traced to prices for iron and steel scrap, which fell 2.2 percent. A decline in the index for nonferrous metal ores also contributed to lower crude core prices.
| Month | Intermediate goods | Crude goods | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foods | Energy | Except foods and energy |
Change in intermediate goods from 12 months ago (unadj.) |
Foods | Energy | Except foods and energy |
Change in crude goods from 12 months ago (unadj.) |
|
| 2011 | ||||||||
| Apr. | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.2 | 9.7 | 3.1 | 4.5 | 2.3 | 23.8 |
| May | -0.4 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 10.3 | -3.3 | -3.1 | -1.0 | 22.7 |
| June | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 10.9 | 1.8 | -2.0 | 1.8 | 26.1 |
| July | 0.8 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 11.5 | -0.1 | -1.2 | 1.3 | 23.1 |
| Aug. | 1.4 | -2.3 | -0.1 | 10.3 | 3.4 | -6.1 | 0.6 | 18.6 |
| Sept. | 0.7 | 2.3 | 0.0 | 10.4 | -0.7 | 5.1 | 0.0 | 20.0 |
| Oct. | -1.1 | -2.2 | -0.6 | 8.0 | -1.9 | -0.1 | -4.3 | 12.8 |
| Nov. | -0.1 | 0.5 | -0.4 | 7.2 | 1.2 | 4.4 | -2.0 | 14.4 |
| Dec.(1) | -0.8 | 0.8 | -0.6 | 5.7 | -2.9 | 1.6 | -0.6 | 6.6 |
| 2012 | ||||||||
| Jan.(1) | -0.3 | -0.6 | 0.2 | 4.2 | 1.7 | 0.4 | 1.6 | 4.5 |
| Feb. | -0.1 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 3.3 | 0.6 | 0.3 | -0.3 | 0.7 |
| Mar. | 0.6 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 2.9 | 2.8 | -9.2 | 1.1 | 0.1 |
| Apr. | 0.4 | -2.7 | 0.2 | 1.1 | -3.5 | -6.8 | -1.8 | -7.3 |
| Footnotes (1) Some of the figures shown above and elsewhere in this release may differ from those previously reported because data for December 2011 have been revised to reflect the availability of late reports and corrections by respondents. |
||||||||
Services Analysis Trade industries: The Producer Price Index for the net output of total trade industries climbed 0.5 percent in April, the second consecutive advance. (Trade indexes measure changes in margins received by wholesalers and retailers.) Almost half of the April rise is attributable to a 9.1-percent increase in margins received by discount department stores. Higher margins received by clothing stores and gasoline stations with convenience stores also contributed to the advance in the total trade industries index. Transportation and warehousing industries: The Producer Price Index for the net output of transportation and warehousing industries moved up 0.6 percent in April, the seventh consecutive increase. Over half of the April rise can be traced to prices received by the air transportation industry group, which climbed 1.5 percent. Increases in the indexes for long-distance general freight trucking (by the truckload) and line-haul railroads also were factors in the rise in the transportation and warehousing industries index. Traditional service industries: The Producer Price Index for the net output of total traditional service industries moved up 0.3 percent in April, the fourth consecutive rise. The index for the depository credit intermediation industry group led the April increase, climbing 1.7 percent. Higher prices received by portfolio managers and by investment bankers and securities dealers also contributed to the advance in the total traditional service industries index. ____________ The Producer Price Index for May 2012 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, June 13, 2012 at 8:30 a.m. (EDT).
- 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: May 11, 2012
Producer Price Index – Historical Data
Data extracted on: May 11, 2012 (11:26:01 AM)
Producer Price Index-Commodities
Series Id: WPSSOP3000
Seasonally Adjusted
Group: Stage of processing
Item: Finished goods
Base Date: 198200Download:
| Year | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | -0.1 | 1.1 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.7 | -0.7 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.8 | -0.4 | |
| 2008 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 1.3 | 1.7 | 1.3 | -0.8 | 0.3 | -2.5 | -3.0 | -1.8 | |
| 2009 | 0.9 | -0.3 | -0.9 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 1.9 | -1.2 | 1.6 | -0.2 | 0.4 | 1.3 | 0.4 | |
| 2010 | 1.0 | -0.6 | 0.5 | -0.1 | -0.2 | -0.2 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.9 | |
| 2011 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.9 | -0.3 | 0.1 | -0.1 | |
| 2012 | 0.2(P) | 0.4(P) | 0.0(P) | -0.2(P) | |||||||||
| P : Preliminary. All indexes are subject to revision four months after original publication. | |||||||||||||
Gregg D. Killoren
victoria1014
