The Chained Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (C-CPI-U) increased 0.5 percent in January on a not seasonally adjusted basis. The January level of 121.895 (December 1999=100) was 3.9 percent higher than in January 2007.
CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U)
On a seasonally adjusted basis, the CPI-U increased 0.4 percent in January. The indexes for food and for energy each advanced 0.7 percent, following increases in December of 0.1 and 1.7 percent, respectively. The index for all items less food and energy rose 0.3 percent, following increases of 0.2 percent in each of the preceding nine months. The January advance reflects larger increases than in December in the indexes for apparel, for medical care, for recreation, for education and communication, and for other goods and services.
The food and beverages index rose 0.7 percent in January, up from 0.1 in December and the largest monthly increase since last February. The index for food at home advanced 0.9 percent, following virtually no change in December. The index for fruits and vegetables increased 2.2 percent in January, following a decline of 0.3 percent in December. The indexes for fresh vegetables, for fresh fruits, and for processed fruits and vegetables increased 3.3, 1.8, and 0.7 percent, respectively. The index for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs advanced 0.8 percent in January, following a decrease of 0.1 percent in December. Prices for poultry, for fish and seafood, for pork, and for other meats each increased, while beef prices were virtually unchanged. The index for dairy products rose 0.2 percent after a 0.2 percent decrease in December as a 2.1 percent increase in cheese prices more than offset a small decline in milk prices. The index for nonalcoholic beverages rose 1.6 percent in January, reflecting increases in prices for carbonated drinks and for coffee. The indexes for cereal and bakery products and for other food at home rose 0.6 and 0.4 percent, respectively. The other two components of the food and beverages index--food away from home and alcoholic beverages--each increased 0.4 percent.
The index for housing increased 0.2 percent in January. The index for shelter increased 0.3 percent in January, the same as in December. Within shelter, the indexes for rent and for owners' equivalent rent each increased 0.3 percent and the index for lodging away from home rose 1.1 percent. The index for fuels and utilities was virtually unchanged in January. The index for household fuels declined 0.1 percent as declines in the indexes for natural gas and electricity - down 2.2 and 0.1 percent, respectively - more than offset a 4.5 percent increase in the index for fuel oil. The indexes for garbage and trash collection and for water and sewerage treatment rose 1.0 and 0.5 percent, respectively. The index for household furnishings and operations increased 0.1 percent in January, following virtually no change in each of the preceding two months.
The index for education and communication increased 0.4 percent in January. Educational costs rose 0.6 percent, reflecting increases in prices for college textbooks and charges for child care and nursery school- -up 0.9 and 0.8 percent, respectively. The index for communication rose 0.1 percent. Within the communication group, the index for telephone services rose 0.1 percent and the index for personal computers and peripheral equipment increased 1.0 percent.
The index for other goods and services increased 0.4 percent in January. The index for tobacco and smoking products rose 1.1 percent accounting for about 55 percent of the monthly increase in this major group.
