Consumer Prices Ticked Up 0.2% in April

Washington, DC, May 12, 2017-The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.2% in April on a seasonally adjusted basis, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has reported.

Over the last 12 months, the all items index rose 2.2% before seasonal adjustment.

Increases in indexes for shelter, energy, tobacco, and food all contributed to the monthly increase in the all items index. The energy index rose 1.1%, with all three of its major component indexes rising. The food index rose 0.2%, mostly due to a sharp increase in the index for fresh vegetables.

The index for all items less food and energy rose 0.1% in April after declining in March. The shelter index increased 0.3%, and the tobacco index increased sharply over the month. However, many indexes declined in April, including those for wireless phone services, medical care, motor vehicle insurance, apparel, used cars and trucks, recreation, and new vehicles.

The all items index rose 2.2% for the 12 months ending April. While a smaller increase than the 2.4% rise for the 12 months ending March, this is still a larger rise than the 1.7% average annual increase over the past ten years. The index for all items less food and energy rose 1.9% over the last 12 months; this compares to a 1.8% average annual increase over the past decade. The energy index rose 9.3% over the last year, while the food index increased 0.5%.