FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:                             TRANSMISSION OF MATERIAL IN
Cheryl Abbot, Regional Economist                     THIS RELEASE IS EMBARGOED
(214) 767-6970                                       UNTIL: 7:30 A.M. (CT),
http://www.bls.gov/ro6/home.htm                      Friday, March 14, 2008


                      FEBRUARY 2008 CONSUMER PRICE INDEXES
                     FOR ENERGY, FOOD AT HOME, AND SHELTER
                           DALLAS-FORT WORTH, TEXAS

     Energy prices fell 1.2 percent in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area 
during February, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor 
reported today.  Regional Commissioner Stanley W. Suchman noted that energy 
costs have declined in 6 of the last 8 months after registering sharp monthly 
gains from March through June of 2007.  Prices for food at home were little 
changed in February, edging up 0.1 percent, and the shelter index rose 0.2 
percent.  These data are based on the Consumer Price Index for All Urban 
Consumers (CPI-U).

     Local energy prices declined 1.2 percent in February as lower costs were 
registered for both household energy and motor fuels.  Gasoline prices fell 1.4 
percent in the latest month after increasing 2.5 percent in January.  The 
average price for a gallon of gasoline in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan 
area stood at $2.908 in February.  Despite the latest monthly decline, gasoline 
costs were 38.7 percent higher than a year ago.  In a similar fashion, the 
index for utility (piped) gas service fell 1.5 percent in February, but prices 
rose 18.8 percent over the year.  The cost of electricity also declined during 
the month, down 0.9 percent, but unlike natural gas and gasoline, the cost of 
electricity fell 1.3 percent from a year ago.  Combined, these annual price 
movements placed the total energy index 19.0 percent above February 2007.

     The index for food at home was essentially unchanged in February, edging 
up 0.1 percent.  Offsetting price movements left grocery costs little changed 
during the month following a 1.3-percent rise in January.  During February, 
increases were noted for bacon, poultry, apples, dairy products, and breakfast 
cereal, but these advances were nearly balanced by declines for fresh 
vegetables, particularly lettuce and tomatoes.  During the previous 12 months, 
grocery prices rose 6.5 percent, compared to the year-ago increase of 3.7 
percent.  The food at home index (CPI-U, 1982-84=100) for Dallas-Fort Worth 
stood at 193.795 in February, meaning that a typical basket of grocery items 
priced at $100.00 in 1982-84 cost area consumers $193.80 last month.

     The shelter index moved up 0.2 percent in February after increasing 0.8 
percent in January.  The biggest factor in February’s slight gain was higher 
charges for hotels and motels.  Other shelter costs were essentially unchanged 
during the month as renters’ costs (rent of a primary residence) edged up 0.1 
percent and homeowners’ costs (owners’ equivalent rent of a primary residence) 
slipped 0.1 percent.  Over the year, renters’ costs advanced 3.9 percent and 
homeowners’ costs rose 1.6 percent.  The total shelter index was 2.9 percent 
above a year ago.

     The Dallas-Fort Worth Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area (CMSA) 
includes Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Henderson, Hood, Hunt, Johnson, 
Kaufman, Parker, Rockwall, and Tarrant Counties.  Local area CPI indexes are 
by-products of the national CPI program.  Because each local area index is a 
small subset of the national index, the sample size is smaller and therefore 
subject to substantially more sampling and other measurement error than the 
national index.  In addition, local indexes are not adjusted for seasonal 
influences.  As a result, local area indexes show greater volatility than the 
national index, although their long-term trends are quite similar.


Next Release Date: The Dallas-Fort Worth March CPI for All Items will be 
released on April 16, 2008.

Last Modified Date: March 14, 2008