Consumer Price Index Held Steady in January

Washington, DC, February 13, 2019-The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) was unchanged in January on a seasonally adjusted basis, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has reported.  

Over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 1.6% before seasonal adjustment.

The energy index declined for the third consecutive month, offsetting increases in the indexes for all items less food and energy and for food. All the major energy component indexes declined in January, with the gasoline index falling 5.5%. The food index increased 0.2%, with the index for food at home rising 0.1% and the food away from home index increasing 0.3%. 

The index for all items less food and energy increased 0.2% in January for the fourth consecutive month. The indexes for shelter, apparel, medical care, recreation, and household furnishings and operations were among the indexes that rose in January, while the indexes for airline fares and for motor vehicle insurance declined.   

The all items index increased 1.6% for the 12 months ending January, the smallest increase since the period ending June 2017. The index for all items less food and energy rose 2.2% over the last 12 months, the same increase as the 12 months ending November and December 2018. The food index rose 1.6% over the past year, while the energy index declined 4.8%.