US CPI for December 2009

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the US Department of Labor (January 15):

On a seasonally adjusted basis, the December 2009 Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) rose 0.1%.

Over the last 12 months (Jan-Dec 2009), the index increased 2.7% before seasonal adjustment.

The seasonally adjusted increase in the all items index was broad based, with the indexes for food, energy, and all items less food and energy all posting modest increases. Within the latter group, a sharp rise in the index for used cars and trucks was the largest contributor to the 0.1 percent increase, while the indexes for airline fares, apparel, and lodging away from home rose as well. In contrast, the indexes for rent and owners' equivalent rent were unchanged and the index for new vehicles declined.

Grocery store food indexes showed broad-based increases, leading to the food index rising 0.2 percent, its largest one-month advance in over a year. The energy index also rose 0.2 percent; this was its smallest increase in five months. The indexes for fuel oil and gasoline rose, but the electricity index was unchanged and the natural gas index declined.


Consumer Price Index Data for December 2009

Food

The food index rose 0.2 percent in December after rising 0.1 percent in each of the previous two months. The food at home index increased 0.3 percent, its largest increase since October 2008. Among the major grocery store food groups, the index for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs was unchanged while the other five groups all posted increases. The index for cereals and bakery products rose 0.6 percent, while the dairy and related products index increased 0.5 percent after declining 0.7 percent in November. The indexes for fruits and vegetables and for other food at home both rose 0.3 percent while the index for nonalcoholic beverages increased 0.2 percent. The index for food away from home increased in December, rising 0.1 percent after increasing 0.2 percent in November.

Energy

The energy index, which increased 4.1 percent in November, rose 0.2 percent in December. The index for energy commodities increased 0.5 percent, with the gasoline index rising 0.2 percent after increasing 6.4 percent in November. (Before seasonal adjustment, gasoline prices
declined 1.5 percent in December.) The index for household energy was unchanged in December. The fuel oil index rose 1.1 percent after a 9.0 percent increase in the previous month, but the index for natural gas fell 0.7 percent. The index for electricity, which increased 1.4
percent in November, was unchanged in December.


All items less food and energy

The index for all items less food and energy rose 0.1 percent in December after being unchanged in November. The index for used cars and trucks rose 2.5 percent in December, accounting for almost half of the increase in the all items less food and energy index. The
index for airline fares also continued to rise, increasing 2.4 percent in December after advancing 3.8 percent in November. Also increasing were the apparel index, which rose 0.4 percent, and the medical care index, which rose 0.1 percent. The shelter index, which declined 0.2 percent in November, was unchanged in December. The indexes for rent and owners' equivalent rent were both unchanged after declining in November, while the index for lodging away from
home rose 0.5 percent in December. The index for new vehicles declined in December, falling 0.3 percent after increasing in each of the previous three months. The recreation index also declined in December, falling 0.4 percent as televisions, sporting goods and toys were among many recreation components that posted declines.


Not seasonally adjusted CPI measures

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 2.7 percent over the last 12 months to an index level of 215.949 (1982-84=100). For the month, the index decreased 0.2 percent prior to seasonal adjustment.

The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) increased 3.4 percent over the last 12 months to an index level of 211.703 (1982-84=100). For the month, the index decreased 0.1 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 0.2 percent on a not seasonally adjusted basis. The indexes for the post-2007 period are subject to
revision.


The Consumer Price Index for January 2010 is scheduled to be released on Friday, February 19, 2010, at 8:30 a.m. (EST).