Consumer Prices Rose 2.4% in May

Washington, DC, June 11, 2025-The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.1% on a seasonally adjusted basis in May, after rising 0.2% in April, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. 

Over the last 12 months, the all-items index increased 2.4% before seasonal adjustment.

The index for shelter rose 0.3% in May and was the primary factor in the all-items monthly increase. The food index increased 0.3% as both of its major components, the index for food at home and the index for food away from home also rose 0.3% in May. 

In contrast, the energy index declined 1.0% in May as the gasoline index fell over the month.

“Year-over-year inflation edged up only slightly in May, after hitting a four-year low in April, defying fears that the impact of President Trump’s tariffs would start to show a rise in prices,” reports the Wall Street Journal.

“Consumer prices were up 2.4% in May from a year earlier, the Labor Department said Wednesday, hotter than April’s gain of 2.3%. That year-over-year number was in line with the 2.4% rise expected by economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal.

“By some other measures, inflation was below expectations.

“Prices excluding food and energy categories-the so-called core measure economists watch in an effort to better capture inflation’s underlying trend-rose 2.8%, below forecasts for a 2.9% increase.

“The monthly increase in prices last month was also milder than expected by economists.

“Month over month, the consumer-price index rose a seasonally adjusted 0.1% in May. That was below the 0.2% economists expected. The month-over-month core reading was also below expectations.”