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Economic News Release
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Consumer Price Index News Release

  FOR TECHNICAL INFORMATION:
  Stephen B. Reed        (202) 691-7000      USDL-09-0035
  CPI QUICKLINE:         (202) 691-6994      TRANSMISSION OF
  FOR CURRENT AND HISTORICAL                 MATERIAL IN THIS
  INFORMATION:           (202) 691-5200      RELEASE IS EMBARGOED
  MEDIA CONTACT:         (202) 691-5902      UNTIL 8:30 A.M. (EST)
  INTERNET ADDRESS: http://www.bls.gov/cpi/  Friday, January 16, 2009
 
                    CONSUMER PRICE INDEX:  DECEMBER 2008
 
       The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) decreased
  1.0 percent in December, before seasonal adjustment, the Bureau of Labor
  Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today.  The December
  level of 210.228 (1982-84=100) was 0.1 percent higher than in December
  2007.
      
       The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers
  (CPI-W) decreased 1.2 percent in December, prior to seasonal adjustment.
  The December level of 204.813 (1982-84=100) was 0.5 percent lower than in
  December 2007.
      
       The Chained Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (C-CPI-U)
  decreased 1.3 percent in December on a not seasonally adjusted basis.  The
  December level of 120.661 (December 1999=100) was 0.5 percent lower than
  in December 2007.  Please note that the indexes for the post-2006 period
  are subject to revision.
      
  CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U)
      
       On a seasonally adjusted basis, the CPI-U decreased 0.7 percent in
  December, the third consecutive decline.  The index is now only 0.1
  percent higher than in December 2007.  Declining energy prices,
  particularly for gasoline, again drove most of the decline.  The energy
  index declined 8.3 percent in December.  Within energy, the gasoline index 
  fell 17.2 percent and accounted for almost 90 percent of the decrease in
  the all items index.  The index for household energy declined 0.7 percent.
  Excluding energy, the index was virtually unchanged for the third straight
  month.  The food index declined 0.1 percent in December, the first (cont.)

  Table A. Percent changes in CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U)
                                                                                  
                                                                                  
                                     Seasonally adjusted                          
                                                                                  
                                                                                  
     Expenditure                                                Compound          
      Category              Changes from preceding month         annual     Un-   
                                                                  rate    adjusted
                                                                 3-mos.   12-mos. 
                      June  July  Aug.  Sep.  Oct.  Nov.  Dec.   ended     ended  
                      2008  2008  2008  2008  2008  2008  2008 Dec. 2008 Dec. 2008
                                                                                                                                                                    
 All items..........   1.1    .8   -.1    .0  -1.0  -1.7   -.7     -12.7        .1
  Food and beverages    .7    .9    .6    .6    .3    .2    .0       1.7       5.8
  Housing...........    .5    .6   -.1   -.1    .0   -.1    .0       -.7       2.4
  Apparel...........    .1   1.2    .5   -.1  -1.0    .3   -.9      -6.4      -1.0
  Transportation....   3.8   1.7  -1.5   -.6  -5.4  -9.8  -4.4     -55.6     -13.3
  Medical care......    .2    .1    .2    .3    .2    .2    .3       2.8       2.6
  Recreation........    .1    .4    .5    .2    .1    .0   -.2       -.4       1.8
  Education and                                                                   
     communication..    .5    .5    .2    .1    .2    .2    .3       3.0       3.6
  Other goods and                                                                 
     services.......    .4    .4    .2    .2    .3    .0    .0        .8       3.4
 Special indexes:                                                                 
  Energy............   6.6   4.0  -3.1  -1.9  -8.6 -17.0  -8.3     -76.6     -21.3
  Food..............    .8    .9    .6    .6    .3    .2   -.1       1.4       5.9
  All items less                                                                  
     food and energy    .3    .3    .2    .1   -.1    .0    .0       -.3       1.8
     
  decrease since April 2006, as many meat, dairy, fruit, and vegetable
  indexes decreased.  The index for all items excluding food and energy was
  virtually unchanged in December.  Continuing decreases in the indexes for
  lodging away from home, airline fare, and new and used motor vehicles,
  along with downturns in the indexes for apparel and recreation, offset
  increases in other indexes including rent and owners' equivalent rent,
  medical care, and education.  

       For the 12 month period ending December 2008, the CPI-U rose 0.1
  percent.  This was the smallest calendar year increase since a 0.7 percent
  decline in 1954 and compares with a 4.1 percent increase for the 12 months
  ended December 2007.  Consumer prices declined at a seasonally adjusted
  annualized rate (SAAR) of 12.7 percent in the fourth quarter of 2008.
  This followed increases during the first three quarters at rates of 3.1,
  7.9, and 2.6 percent, respectively.  The index for energy declined at a
  SAAR of 76.6 percent during the fourth quarter and fell 21.3 percent for
  the 12 months ending December after rising 17.4 percent during 2007.
  Petroleum-based energy prices declined 40.5 percent during 2008 while
  prices for energy services rose 7.7 percent.  The food index rose 5.9
  percent in 2008 compared to 4.9 percent in 2007, with grocery store food
  prices rising 6.6 percent in 2008 compared to 5.6 percent in 2007.  In
  both cases, the 2008 increases were the largest since 1980.  Among the
  grocery store food groups, the 2008 increases ranged from a low of 2.7
  percent for dairy and related products to a high of 11.7 percent for
  cereals and bakery products.
      
       Excluding food and energy, the CPI declined at a 0.3 percent SAAR
  during the last quarter of 2008, after increasing at rates of 2.0, 2.5,
  and 2.7 percent during the first three quarters, respectively.  The 1.8
  percent increase for all of 2008 compares to 2.4 percent during 2007 and
  is the smallest one-year increase since 2003.  The smaller increase
  reflects slower advances in prices for shelter and medical care as well as
  a decline in the price of new and used motor vehicles.  Shelter costs rose
  1.9 percent in 2008 after increasing 3.1 percent in 2007, while medical
  care prices rose 2.6 percent in 2008 after increasing 5.2 percent in 2007.
  Prices for new and used motor vehicles declined 3.5 percent during 2008
  after being virtually unchanged during 2007.  The annual rates for
  selected groups for the last eight years are shown below.
                                                                            
                                                                             
                                    Percentage change 12 months              
                                         ended in December                   
                                                                             
                                                                             
                       2001   2002   2003   2004   2005   2006   2007   2008 
                                                                                                                                                          
 All items...........   1.6    2.4    1.9    3.3    3.4    2.5    4.1     .1 
  Food and beverages    2.8    1.5    3.5    2.6    2.3    2.2    4.8    5.8 
  Housing............   2.9    2.4    2.2    3.0    4.0    3.3    3.0    2.4 
  Apparel............  -3.2   -1.8   -2.1    -.2   -1.1     .9    -.3   -1.0 
  Transportation.....  -3.8    3.8     .3    6.5    4.8    1.6    8.3  -13.3 
  Medical care.......   4.7    5.0    3.7    4.2    4.3    3.6    5.2    2.6 
  Recreation.........   1.5    1.1    1.1     .7    1.1    1.0     .8    1.8 
  Education and                                                              
   communication.....   3.2    2.2    1.6    1.5    2.4    2.3    3.0    3.6 
  Other goods and                                                            
   services..........   4.5    3.3    1.5    2.5    3.1    3.0    3.3    3.4 
 Special indexes:                                                            
  Energy............. -13.0   10.7    6.9   16.6   17.1    2.9   17.4  -21.3 
   Energy commodities -24.5   23.7    6.9   26.7   16.7    6.1   29.4  -40.5 
   Energy services...  -1.5     .4    6.9    6.8   17.6    -.6    3.4    7.7 
  All items less                                                             
   energy............   2.8    1.8    1.5    2.2    2.2    2.5    2.8    2.4 
   Food..............   2.8    1.5    3.6    2.7    2.3    2.1    4.9    5.9 
  All items less food                                                        
   and energy........   2.7    1.9    1.1    2.2    2.2    2.6    2.4    1.8 
   

       The food and beverages index was virtually unchanged in December, as
  increases in the indexes for food away from home and alcoholic beverages
  offset a 0.4 percent decline in the food at home index.  Within food at
  home, the indexes for three of the six major grocery store food groups
  declined.  The fruits and vegetables index declined 2.4 percent in
  December, the fourth consecutive decrease, with fresh vegetables down 4.4
  percent.    The index for dairy and related products turned down in
  December, falling 0.9 percent after rising 0.4 percent in November.  For
  the year, the indexes for fruits and vegetables and for dairy and related
  products rose 3.4 percent and 2.7 percent, respectively.  The index for
  meats, poultry, fish and eggs declined 0.5 percent in December, but was up
  5.1 percent for the year.  The December decrease was driven by a 6.6
  percent decline in the index for eggs.  The indexes for cereals and bakery
  products and for other food at home both increased in December.  The
  former index rose 0.3 percent in December and posted an 11.7 percent 12
  month increase, while the latter climbed 0.6 percent and was up 9.3
  percent for the year.  The index for nonalcoholic beverages was virtually
  unchanged in December and has increased 5.9 percent since December 2007.
  The index for food away from home advanced 0.3 percent in December while
  the alcoholic beverages index increased 0.6 percent.
      
       The index for housing was virtually unchanged in December after
  declining 0.1 percent in November.    The shelter index, which rose 0.2
  percent in November, was also virtually unchanged.  Increases in the
  indexes for rent and owners' equivalent rent of 0.2 percent and 0.1
  percent, respectively, offset a 0.7 percent decline in the index for
  lodging away from home.  For the 12 months ending December, the housing
  index rose 2.4 percent, with the index for shelter increasing 1.9 percent.
  The household energy index declined 0.7 percent in December, but
  registered a 5.9 percent increase over the last 12 months.  Within
  household energy, the index for fuel oil declined sharply, down 12.7
  percent in December and 21.0 percent over the last year.  The natural gas
  index declined 1.6 percent but was up 5.5 percent during 2008.  The
  electricity index increased in December, rising 0.6 percent to a level 8.6
  percent above a year ago.  The index for household furnishings and
  operations increased 0.1 percent in December.
      
       The transportation index fell 4.4 percent in December as several of
  its major components continue to decline.  This was the fifth consecutive
  monthly decrease and the index is now down 13.3 percent over the past
  year.  The motor fuel index decreased 16.8 percent in December.  (Before
  seasonal adjustment, motor fuel prices fell 20.3 percent in December and
  were 42.2 percent below their December 2007 level)   The index for new and
  used motor vehicles fell for the fifth straight month, declining 0.4
  percent.  The new vehicles index declined 0.4 percent and the index for
  used cars and trucks fell 0.8 percent.  The index for public
  transportation declined 1.3 percent in December as the airline fare index
  decreased 1.2 percent.  This was the fourth straight decline in the
  airline fare index, but it was still 1.4 percent higher than in December
  2007.
      
       The index for apparel turned down in December, declining 0.9 percent
  after rising 0.3 percent in November.  Prior to seasonal adjustment,
  apparel prices fell 3.5 percent, and are 1.0 percent below their December
  2007 level.
      
       The index for medical care rose 0.3 percent in December after
  increasing 0.2 percent in November, and is up 2.6 percent over the past
  year.  The medical care commodities index increased 0.5 percent, with the
  index for nonprescription drugs and medical supplies rising 1.1 percent.
  The index for medical care services advanced 0.2 percent in December after
  rising 0.1 percent in November.  The physicians' services index increased
  0.4 percent and the index for hospital and related services rose 0.5
  percent.
      
       After being virtually unchanged in November, the index for recreation
  declined 0.2 percent in December.    Decreases in the indexes for sporting
  goods, for photography, and for toys contributed to the decline.  The
  index for video and audio, which fell 0.1 percent in November, increased
  0.1 percent in December.  The recreation index has increased 1.8 percent
  over the past year.
      
       The index for education and communication rose 0.3 percent in
  December after advancing 0.2 percent in November and has risen 3.6 percent
  over the past year.  The index for education increased 0.5 percent in
  December and the index for communication rose 0.2 percent.  Within the
  latter group, the telephone services index increased 0.1 percent and the
  index for information technology, hardware and services rose 0.4 percent.
      
       The index for other goods and services was virtually unchanged for
  the second consecutive month and rose 3.4 percent during all of 2008.  The
  index for tobacco and smoking products rose 0.5 percent in December after
  being virtually unchanged in November.  The index for personal care turned
  down in December, falling 0.2 percent after being virtually unchanged in
  November.
 

  CPI for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W)
 
        On a seasonally adjusted basis, the CPI for Urban Wage Earners and
  Clerical Workers decreased 0.9 percent in December.

  Table B. Percent changes in CPI for Urban Wage Earners and
          Clerical Workers (CPI-W)
                                                                                  
                                                                                  
                                     Seasonally adjusted                          
                                                                                  
                                                                                  
     Expenditure                                                Compound          
      Category              Changes from preceding month         annual     Un-   
                                                                  rate    adjusted
                                                                 3-mos.   12-mos. 
                      June  July  Aug.  Sep.  Oct.  Nov.  Dec.   ended     ended  
                      2008  2008  2008  2008  2008  2008  2008 Dec. 2008 Dec. 2008
                                                                                                                              
 All items..........   1.2    .9   -.2   -.1  -1.2  -2.1   -.9     -15.7       -.5
  Food and beverages    .8    .9    .6    .6    .3    .2    .0       1.8       5.9
  Housing...........    .5    .7    .0   -.2    .0   -.1    .0       -.2       2.8
  Apparel...........    .0    .8   1.0    .0  -1.2    .2  -1.0      -7.7       -.9
  Transportation....   4.0   1.8  -1.7   -.7  -6.0 -10.9  -5.0     -59.8     -15.3
  Medical care......    .2    .1    .3    .3    .1    .2    .3       2.6       2.7
  Recreation........    .2    .4    .5    .2    .0   -.1   -.2       -.8       1.6
  Education and                                                                   
     communication..    .5    .5    .2    .0    .2    .2    .3       2.8       3.4
  Other goods and                                                                 
     services.......    .6    .5    .2    .2    .3    .1    .1       1.8       4.1
 Special indexes:                                                                 
  Energy............   6.8   4.0  -3.2  -1.7  -9.0 -17.8  -8.7     -78.2     -22.6
  Food..............    .8    .9    .6    .6    .3    .2   -.1       1.5       6.0
  All items less                                                                  
     food and energy    .3    .3    .2    .1   -.1    .0    .0       -.3       1.7

      Consumer Price Index data for January are scheduled for release on
  Friday, February 20, 2009, at 8:30 A.M. (EST).
     
  
  Facilities for Sensory Impaired
 
       Information from this release will be made available to sensory
  impaired individuals upon request.  Voice phone:  202-691-5200, Federal
  Relay Services:  1-800-877-8339.
 
  Brief Explanation of the CPI
      
       The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is a measure of the average change in
  prices over time of goods and services purchased by households.  The
  Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes CPIs for two population groups:  (1)
  the CPI for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), which covers
  households of wage earners and clerical workers that comprise
  approximately 32 percent of the total population and (2) the CPI for All
  Urban Consumers (CPI-U) and the Chained CPI for All Urban Consumers (C-CPI-
  U), which cover approximately 87 percent of the total population and
  include in addition to wage earners and clerical worker households, groups
  such as professional, managerial, and technical workers, the self-
  employed, short-term workers, the unemployed, and retirees and others not
  in the labor force.
      
       The CPIs are based on prices of food, clothing, shelter, and fuels,
  transportation fares, charges for doctors' and dentists' services, drugs,
  and other goods and services that people buy for day-to-day living.
  Prices are collected in 87 urban areas across the country from about
  50,000 housing units and approximately 23,000 retail establishments-
  department stores, supermarkets, hospitals, filling stations, and other
  types of stores and service establishments.  All taxes directly associated
  with the purchase and use of items are included in the index.  Prices of
  fuels and a few other items are obtained every month in all 87 locations.
  Prices of most other commodities and services are collected every month in
  the three largest geographic areas and every other month in other areas.
  Prices of most goods and services are obtained by personal visits or
  telephone calls of the Bureau's trained representatives.
      
       In calculating the index, price changes for the various items in each
  location are averaged together with weights, which represent their
  importance in the spending of the appropriate population group.  Local
  data are then combined to obtain a U.S. city average.  For the CPI-U and
  CPI-W separate indexes are also published by size of city, by region of
  the country, for cross-classifications of regions and population-size
  classes, and for 27 local areas.  Area indexes do not measure differences
  in the level of prices among cities; they only measure the average change
  in prices for each area since the base period.  For the C-CPI-U data are
  issued only at the national level.  It is important to note that the CPI-U
  and CPI-W are considered final when released, but the C-CPI-U is issued in
  preliminary form and subject to two annual revisions.
      
       The index measures price change from a designed reference date.  For
  the CPI-U and the CPI-W the reference base is 1982-84 equals 100.0. The
  reference base for the C-CPI-U is December 1999 equals 100.
  An increase of 16.5 percent from the reference base, for example, is shown
  as 116.5.  This change can also be expressed in dollars as follows:  the
  price of a base period market basket of goods and services in the CPI has
  risen from $10 in 1982-84 to $11.65.
      
       For further details visit the CPI home page on the Internet at
  http://www.bls.gov/cpi/ or contact our CPI Information and Analysis
  Section on (202) 691-7000.
      
 
 
 
 
  Note on Sampling Error in the Consumer Price Index
                                     
       The CPI is a statistical estimate that is subject to sampling error
  because it is based upon a sample of retail prices and not the complete
  universe of all prices.  BLS calculates and publishes estimates of the 1-
  month, 2-month, 6-month and 12-month percent change standard errors 
  annually, for the CPI-U.  These standard error estimates can be used to
  construct confidence intervals for hypothesis testing.  For example, the
  estimated standard error of the 1 month percent change is 0.06 percent for
  the U.S. All Items Consumer Price Index.  This means that if we repeatedly
  sample from the universe of all retail prices using the same methodology,
  and estimate a percentage change for each sample, then 95% of these
  estimates would be within 0.12 percent of the 1 month percentage change
  based on all retail prices.  For a 1-month change of 0.2 percent in the
  All Items CPI for All Urban Consumers, we are 95 percent confident that
  the actual percent change based on all retail prices would fall between
  0.08 and 0.32 percent.  For the latest data, including information on how
  to use the estimates of standard error, see "Variance Estimates for
  Changes in the Consumer Price Index, January 2005- December 2005" in the
  CPI Detailed Report, February 2006.  These data are available on the CPI
  home page (http://www.bls.gov/cpi), using the following link
  http://www.bls.gov/cpi/cpivar2006.pdf
      
 
  Calculating Index Changes
 
        Movements of the indexes from one month to another are usually
  expressed as percent changes rather than changes in index points, because
  index point changes are affected by the level of the index in relation to
  its base period while percent changes are not.  The example below
  illustrates the computation of index point and percent changes.
      
        Percent changes for 3-month and 6-month periods are expressed as
  annual rates and are computed according to the standard formula for
  compound growth rates.  These data indicate what the percent change would
  be if the current rate were maintained for a 12-month period.
 
  Index Point Change
 
  CPI
  202.416
  Less previous index
  201.800
  Equals index point change
  .616
 
  Percent Change
 
  Index point difference
  .616
  Divided by the previous index
  201.800
  Equals
  0.003
  Results multiplied by one hundred
  0.003x100
  Equals percent change
  0.3











  Regions Defined

  The states in the four regions shown in Tables 3 and 6 are listed below.

  The Northeast--Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York,
  New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
  The Midwest--Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota,
  Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.
  The South--Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky,
  Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina,
  Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia.
  The West--Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana,
  Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.




  A Note on Seasonally Adjusted and Unadjusted Data
 
 
       Because price data are used for different purposes by different
  groups, the Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes seasonally adjusted as
  well as unadjusted changes each month.
      
       For analyzing general price trends in the economy, seasonally
  adjusted changes are usually preferred since they eliminate the effect of
  changes that normally occur at the same time and in about the same
  magnitude every year--such as price movements resulting from changing
  climatic conditions, production cycles, model changeovers, holidays, and
  sales.
      
       The unadjusted data are of primary interest to consumers concerned
  about the prices they actually pay.  Unadjusted data also are used
  extensively for escalation purposes.  Many collective bargaining contract
  agreements and pension plans, for example, tie compensation changes to the
  Consumer Price Index before adjustment for seasonal variation.
      
       Seasonal factors used in computing the seasonally adjusted indexes
  are derived by the X-12-ARIMA Seasonal Adjustment Method.  Seasonally
  adjusted indexes and seasonal factors are computed annually.  Each year,
  the last 5 years of seasonally adjusted data are revised.  Data from
  January 2003 through December 2007 were replaced in January 2008.
  Exceptions to the usual revision schedule were: the updated seasonal data
  at the end of 1977 replaced data from 1967 through 1977; and, in January
  2002, dependently seasonally adjusted series were revised for January 1987-
  December 2001 as a result of a change in the aggregation weights for
  dependently adjusted series. For further information, please see
  "Aggregation of Dependently Adjusted Seasonally Adjusted Series," in the
  October 2001 issue of the CPI Detailed Report.
      
       The seasonal movement of All items and 54 other aggregations is
  derived by combining the seasonal movement of 73 selected components.
  Each year the seasonal status of every series is reevaluated based upon
  certain statistical criteria.  If any of the 73 components change their
  seasonal adjustment status from seasonally adjusted to not seasonally
  adjusted, not seasonally adjusted data will be used in the aggregation of
  the dependent series for the last 5 years, but the seasonally adjusted
  indexes will be used before that period.  Note: 48 of the 73 components
  are seasonally adjusted for 2008.
      
      
      
      
       Seasonally adjusted data, including the All items index levels, are
  subject to revision for up to five years after their original release.
  For this reason, BLS advises against the use of these data in escalation
  agreements.
      
       Effective with the calculation of the seasonal factors for 1990, the
  Bureau of Labor Statistics has used an enhanced seasonal adjustment
  procedure called Intervention Analysis Seasonal Adjustment for some CPI
  series.  Intervention Analysis Seasonal Adjustment allows for better
  estimates of seasonally adjusted data.  Extreme values and/or sharp
  movements which might distort the seasonal pattern are estimated and
  removed from the data prior to calculation of seasonal factors.  Beginning
  with the calculation of seasonal factors for 1996, X-12-ARIMA software was
  used for Intervention Analysis Seasonal Adjustment.
      
       For the seasonal factors introduced in January 2008, BLS adjusted 20
  series using Intervention Analysis Seasonal Adjustment, including selected
  food and beverage items, motor fuels, electricity and vehicles.  For
  example, this procedure was used for the Motor fuel series to offset the
  effects of events such as damage to oil refineries from Hurricane Katrina.
      
       For a complete list of Intervention Analysis Seasonal Adjustment
  series and explanations, please refer to the article "Intervention
  Analysis Seasonal Adjustment," located on our website at
  http://www.bls.gov/cpi/cpisapage.htm.
      
       For additional information on seasonal adjustment in the CPI, please
  write to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Division of Consumer Prices and
  Price Indexes, Washington, DC 20212 or contact Jeff Wilson at (202) 691-
  6968, or by e-mail at Wilson.Jeff@bls.gov.  If you have general questions
  about the CPI, please call our information staff at (202) 691-7000.
      
      
  Recalculated Seasonally Adjusted Indexes to be Available on February 18,
  2009
      
      
       Each year with the release of the January CPI, seasonal adjustment 
  factors are recalculated to reflect price movements from the just-completed
  calendar year. This routine annual recalculation may result in revisions 
  to seasonally adjusted indexes for the previous 5 years. BLS will make 
  available recalculated seasonally adjusted indexes, as well as
  recalculated seasonal adjustment factors, for the period January 2004
  through December 2008, on Wednesday, February 18, 2009. This date is two
  working days before the scheduled release of the January 2009 CPI on
  Friday, February 20, 2009.
 
       The revised indexes and seasonal factors will be available on
  the internet. The address is http://www.bls.gov/cpi/cpisapage.htm. 
  Look under Seasonal Adjustment in the CPI and select Revised Seasonally 
  Adjusted Indexes and Factors, 2004-2008.
 
       For further information please contact Jeff Wilson by electronic mail
  at: Wilson.Jeff@bls.gov or by telephone at: (202) 691-5382.
     
     
     
  
  






.


       
       
       



 Table 1. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by expenditure category and commodity
 and service group

 (1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)
                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                        
                                                                                    Unadjusted                          
                                                             Unadjusted indexes   percent change   Seasonally adjusted  
                                                 Relative                          to Dec. 2008    percent change from- 
                     CPI-U                     importance,                            from-                             
                                                 December                                                               
                                                   2007       Nov.       Dec.                      Sep.    Oct.    Nov. 
                                                              2008       2008      Dec.    Nov.     to      to      to  
                                                                                   2007    2008    Oct.    Nov.    Dec. 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                        
             Expenditure category                                                                                       
                                                                                                                        
 All items....................................    100.000    212.425    210.228     0.1    -1.0    -1.0    -1.7    -0.7 
 All items (1967=100).........................          -    636.332    629.751       -       -       -       -       - 
                                                                                                                        
  Food and beverages..........................     14.914    218.752    218.839     5.8     0.0     0.3     0.2     0.0 
   Food.......................................     13.833    218.749    218.805     5.9     0.0     0.3     0.2    -0.1 
    Food at home..............................      7.660    219.086    218.683     6.6    -0.2     0.1     0.0    -0.4 
     Cereals and bakery products..............      1.030    252.723    253.063    11.7     0.1     0.6     0.2     0.3 
     Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs...........      1.807    209.602    208.890     5.1    -0.3     0.6    -0.7    -0.5 
     Dairy and related products...............       .887    213.102    210.838     2.7    -1.1    -1.0     0.4    -0.9 
     Fruits and vegetables....................      1.156    283.677    281.706     3.4    -0.7    -2.2    -0.4    -2.4 
     Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage                                                                                
         materials............................       .928    163.015    162.750     5.9    -0.2     1.2     0.1     0.0 
     Other food at home.......................      1.852    189.301    190.203     9.3     0.5     0.6     0.6     0.6 
      Sugar and sweets........................       .277    191.756    193.312     8.2     0.8     0.7     0.6     1.2 
      Fats and oils...........................       .205    205.806    206.710    17.4     0.4     0.5     0.0     1.0 
      Other foods.............................      1.369    203.058    203.902     8.3     0.4     0.6     0.8     0.4 
       Other miscellaneous foods (1) (2)......       .404    123.543    123.791     7.4     0.2     1.3     0.7     0.2 
    Food away from home (1)...................      6.173    220.043    220.684     5.0     0.3     0.5     0.3     0.3 
     Other food away from home (1) (2)........       .297    153.978    154.062     5.7     0.1     1.0     0.3     0.1 
   Alcoholic beverages........................      1.080    217.492    217.975     4.4     0.2     0.4     0.5     0.6 
                                                                                                                        
  Housing.....................................     42.427    216.467    216.073     2.4    -0.2     0.0    -0.1     0.0 
   Shelter....................................     32.596    247.463    247.085     1.9    -0.2     0.0     0.2     0.0 
    Rent of primary residence (3).............      5.765    246.681    247.278     3.4     0.2     0.4     0.3     0.2 
    Lodging away from home (2)................      2.564    133.555    129.157    -3.3    -3.3    -1.6    -1.1    -0.7 
    Owners' equivalent rent of primary                                                                                  
        residence (3) (4).....................     23.942    254.669    254.875     2.1     0.1     0.1     0.3     0.1 
    Tenants' and household insurance (1) (2)..       .325    120.232    120.019     2.6    -0.2     0.0     0.3    -0.2 
   Fuels and utilities........................      5.128    216.285    215.184     6.0    -0.5    -0.6    -1.6    -0.5 
    Household energy..........................      4.215    195.599    194.335     5.9    -0.6    -0.9    -2.0    -0.7 
     Fuel oil and other fuels.................       .351    281.869    256.209   -14.4    -9.1    -8.8   -13.6    -9.2 
     Gas (piped) and electricity (3)..........      3.864    199.435    199.487     7.7     0.0    -0.1    -1.0     0.0 
    Water and sewer and trash collection                                                                                
        services (2)..........................       .913    156.193    156.390     6.5     0.1     1.0     0.4     0.2 
   Household furnishings and operations.......      4.702    128.554    128.535     2.0     0.0     0.0    -0.2     0.1 
    Household operations (1) (2)..............       .737    149.998    150.689     6.0     0.5    -0.1     0.0     0.5 
                                                                                                                        
  Apparel.....................................      3.731    121.262    117.078    -1.0    -3.5    -1.0     0.3    -0.9 
   Men's and boys' apparel....................       .935    114.239    110.767    -1.1    -3.0    -0.5    -0.7    -0.8 
   Women's and girls' apparel.................      1.600    110.588    105.456    -3.6    -4.6    -2.2     0.7    -1.5 
   Infants' and toddlers' apparel.............       .185    116.010    112.568    -1.1    -3.0     0.6     0.5    -0.9 
   Footwear...................................       .679    126.788    124.093     1.5    -2.1     0.3     1.1    -0.8 
                                                                                                                        
  Transportation..............................     17.688    173.644    164.628   -13.3    -5.2    -5.4    -9.8    -4.4 
   Private transportation.....................     16.583    168.527    159.411   -14.4    -5.4    -5.5   -10.3    -4.7 
    New and used motor vehicles (2)...........      7.191     91.618     91.408    -3.5    -0.2    -0.7    -0.9    -0.4 
     New vehicles.............................      4.632    132.359    132.308    -3.2     0.0    -0.5    -0.6    -0.4 
     Used cars and trucks (1).................      1.773    126.869    125.883    -8.1    -0.8    -2.4    -2.2    -0.8 
    Motor fuel................................      5.482    187.189    149.132   -42.2   -20.3   -13.9   -29.0   -16.8 
     Gasoline (all types).....................      5.215    184.235    146.102   -43.1   -20.7   -14.2   -29.5   -17.2 
    Motor vehicle parts and equipment (1).....       .356    132.947    133.077     7.4     0.1     0.7     0.8     0.1 
    Motor vehicle maintenance and repair......      1.123    239.048    239.356     5.9     0.1     0.3     0.3     0.2 
   Public transportation......................      1.106    243.385    237.638     1.8    -2.4    -3.3    -2.7    -1.3 
                                                                                                                        
  Medical care................................      6.231    366.613    367.133     2.6     0.1     0.2     0.2     0.3 
   Medical care commodities...................      1.601    297.317    298.361     1.6     0.4     0.2     0.6     0.5 
   Medical care services......................      4.630    387.992    388.267     3.0     0.1     0.2     0.1     0.2 
    Professional services.....................      2.626    313.328    313.886     3.0     0.2     0.1     0.3     0.2 
    Hospital and related services (3).........      1.467    543.183    543.585     5.4     0.1     0.4     0.0     0.5 
                                                                                                                        
  Recreation (2)..............................      5.647    114.078    113.674     1.8    -0.4     0.1     0.0    -0.2 
   Video and audio (2)........................      1.843    101.831    101.629    -1.0    -0.2    -0.6    -0.1     0.1 
                                                                                                                        
  Education and communication (2).............      6.086    125.758    125.921     3.6     0.1     0.2     0.2     0.3 
   Education (2)..............................      2.944    186.733    186.916     5.6     0.1     0.4     0.4     0.5 
    Educational books and supplies............       .207    462.694    464.544     7.0     0.4     0.2     0.3     0.6 
    Tuition, other school fees, and childcare       2.736    537.906    538.309     5.5     0.1     0.5     0.4     0.5 
   Communication (2)..........................      3.142     84.601     84.737     1.7     0.2     0.0     0.1     0.2 
    Information and information processing (1)                                                                          
        (2)...................................      2.975     81.723     81.886     1.7     0.2     0.0     0.1     0.2 
     Telephone services (1) (2)...............      2.342    101.538    101.688     2.9     0.1     0.1     0.1     0.1 
     Information technology, hardware and                                                                               
         services (1) (5).....................       .634      9.867      9.906    -3.0     0.4    -0.3    -0.1     0.4 
      Personal computers and peripheral                                                                                 
          equipment (1) (6)...................       .242     88.984     88.529   -11.5    -0.5    -0.9    -1.1    -0.5 
                                                                                                                        
  Other goods and services....................      3.277    349.040    349.220     3.4     0.1     0.3     0.0     0.0 
   Tobacco and smoking products (1)...........       .731    599.820    602.644     6.3     0.5     0.4     0.0     0.5 
   Personal care..............................      2.546    202.921    202.774     2.6    -0.1     0.2     0.0    -0.2 
    Personal care products (1)................       .639    161.000    161.397     2.0     0.2     0.1     0.7     0.2 
    Personal care services (1)................       .629    226.197    226.281     3.0     0.0     0.4     0.3     0.0 
    Miscellaneous personal services...........      1.044    340.174    339.698     3.0    -0.1     0.0    -0.8    -0.1 
                                                                                                                        
          Commodity and service group                                                                                   
                                                                                                                        
 Commodities..................................     41.269    167.673    163.582    -4.1    -2.4    -2.3    -4.1    -2.0 
  Food and beverages..........................     14.914    218.752    218.839     5.8     0.0     0.3     0.2     0.0 
  Commodities less food and beverages.........     26.356    141.397    135.720    -9.6    -4.0    -3.8    -6.7    -3.2 
   Nondurables less food and beverages........     15.519    173.346    161.681   -14.3    -6.7    -5.5    -9.5    -5.9 
    Apparel...................................      3.731    121.262    117.078    -1.0    -3.5    -1.0     0.3    -0.9 
    Nondurables less food, beverages, and                                                                               
        apparel...............................     11.787    209.569    192.948   -18.5    -7.9    -7.9   -14.0    -6.3 
   Durables...................................     10.837    109.191    108.811    -2.9    -0.3    -0.6    -0.6    -0.4 
 Services.....................................     58.731    256.967    256.731     3.0    -0.1     0.0     0.0     0.1 
  Rent of shelter (4).........................     32.271    257.961    257.567     1.9    -0.2     0.0     0.2     0.1 
  Tenants' and household insurance (1) (2)....       .325    120.232    120.019     2.6    -0.2     0.0     0.3    -0.2 
  Gas (piped) and electricity (3).............      3.864    199.435    199.487     7.7     0.0    -0.1    -1.0     0.0 
  Water and sewer and trash collection                                                                                  
      services (2)............................       .913    156.193    156.390     6.5     0.1     1.0     0.4     0.2 
  Household operations (1) (2)................       .737    149.998    150.689     6.0     0.5    -0.1     0.0     0.5 
  Transportation services.....................      5.350    247.030    246.287     4.1    -0.3    -0.4    -0.3     0.0 
  Medical care services.......................      4.630    387.992    388.267     3.0     0.1     0.2     0.1     0.2 
  Other services..............................     10.641    299.996    300.067     3.5     0.0     0.2     0.1     0.2 
                                                                                                                        
                Special indexes                                                                                         
                                                                                                                        
 All items less food..........................     86.167    211.421    208.855    -0.8    -1.2    -1.2    -2.0    -0.8 
 All items less shelter.......................     67.404    201.075    198.127    -0.8    -1.5    -1.4    -2.6    -1.1 
 All items less medical care..................     93.769    204.721    202.442    -0.1    -1.1    -1.0    -1.8    -0.8 
 Commodities less food........................     27.436    144.055    138.536    -9.1    -3.8    -3.6    -6.4    -3.0 
 Nondurables less food........................     16.599    175.979    165.032   -13.1    -6.2    -5.3    -8.8    -5.2 
 Nondurables less food and apparel............     12.868    209.344    194.403   -16.6    -7.1    -7.0   -12.6    -5.4 
 Nondurables..................................     30.432    195.773    189.557    -4.5    -3.2    -2.6    -4.9    -2.5 
 Services less rent of shelter (4)............     26.460    275.425    275.370     4.3     0.0    -0.1    -0.2     0.2 
 Services less medical care services..........     54.101    246.351    246.090     3.0    -0.1     0.0     0.0     0.1 
 Energy.......................................      9.698    189.938    171.158   -21.3    -9.9    -8.6   -17.0    -8.3 
 All items less energy........................     90.302    216.417    215.930     2.4    -0.2     0.0     0.0     0.0 
  All items less food and energy..............     76.469    216.690    216.100     1.8    -0.3    -0.1     0.0     0.0 
   Commodities less food and energy                                                                                     
       commodities............................     21.602    140.236    139.228    -0.6    -0.7    -0.4    -0.2    -0.3 
    Energy commodities........................      5.834    193.395    155.745   -40.5   -19.5   -13.6   -28.1   -16.2 
   Services less energy services..............     54.867    262.901    262.636     2.7    -0.1     0.0     0.1     0.1 
 Purchasing power of the consumer dollar                                                                                
     (1982-84=$1.00)..........................          -     $ .471     $ .476       -       -       -       -       - 
 Purchasing power of the consumer dollar                                                                                
     (1967=$1.00).............................          -     $ .157     $ .159       -       -       -       -       - 

   1 Not seasonally adjusted.
   2 Indexes on a December 1997=100 base.
   3 This index series was calculated using a Laspeyres estimator.  All other item stratum index series were calculated
 using a geometric means estimator.
   4 Indexes on a December 1982=100 base.
   5 Indexes on a December 1988=100 base.
   6 Indexes on a December 2007=100 base.
   - Data not available.
 NOTE:  Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.


 Table 2. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): Seasonally adjusted U.S. city average, by expenditure category and
 commodity and service group

 (1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)
                                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                   
                                                  Seasonally adjusted indexes        Seasonally adjusted annual rate percent change
                                                                                                          for                      
                                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                   
                   CPI-U                                                                    3 months ended--            6 months   
                                                                                                                        ended--    
                                               Sep.      Oct.      Nov.      Dec.                                                  
                                               2008      2008      2008      2008                                                  
                                                                                      Mar.    June    Sep.    Dec.    June    Dec. 
                                                                                      2008    2008    2008    2008    2008    2008 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                   
            Expenditure category                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                   
 All items.................................  218.813   216.710   213.060   211.490     3.1     7.9     2.6   -12.7     5.5    -5.4 
                                                                                                                                   
  Food and beverages.......................  217.996   218.569   218.981   218.915     5.1     8.1     8.5     1.7     6.6     5.0 
   Food....................................  218.029   218.582   218.939   218.770     5.3     8.5     8.7     1.4     6.8     5.0 
    Food at home...........................  219.225   219.380   219.428   218.620     5.9    11.5    10.7    -1.1     8.7     4.7 
     Cereals and bakery products...........  251.760   253.199   253.738   254.619    15.7    15.2    11.8     4.6    15.5     8.1 
     Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs........  209.534   210.721   209.295   208.347     2.6     7.8    12.9    -2.2     5.2     5.0 
     Dairy and related products............  214.066   211.930   212.757   210.817     0.7    11.1     5.8    -5.9     5.7    -0.3 
     Fruits and vegetables.................  290.047   283.770   282.618   275.694     3.9    20.9    12.1   -18.4    12.1    -4.4 
     Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage                                                                                           
         materials.........................  161.609   163.526   163.684   163.631     7.3     3.9     7.4     5.1     5.6     6.3 
     Other food at home....................  188.124   189.320   190.510   191.690     6.3    11.7    11.3     7.8     9.0     9.6 
      Sugar and sweets.....................  190.197   191.438   192.492   194.720     5.3     6.6    11.2     9.9     6.0    10.5 
      Fats and oils........................  206.381   207.508   207.407   209.531     8.6    34.5    22.4     6.2    20.9    14.0 
      Other foods..........................  201.577   202.881   204.414   205.325     6.3     9.5     9.7     7.6     7.9     8.7 
       Other miscellaneous foods (1) (2)...  121.144   122.699   123.543   123.791     7.3     3.9     9.4     9.0     5.6     9.2 
    Food away from home (1)................  218.225   219.290   220.043   220.684     4.5     4.7     6.1     4.6     4.6     5.3 
     Other food away from home (1) (2).....  152.040   153.544   153.978   154.062     7.8     3.6     5.9     5.4     5.6     5.7 
   Alcoholic beverages.....................  216.276   217.103   218.212   219.478     2.9     3.1     5.8     6.1     3.0     5.9 
                                                                                                                                   
  Housing..................................  217.891   217.793   217.577   217.521     3.4     5.2     1.8    -0.7     4.3     0.6 
   Shelter.................................  247.971   248.058   248.472   248.556     2.0     2.3     2.2     0.9     2.2     1.6 
    Rent of primary residence (3)..........  244.977   245.840   246.558   247.095     3.1     3.5     3.6     3.5     3.3     3.5 
    Lodging away from home (2).............  145.173   142.808   141.218   140.233    -2.5     0.8     2.1   -12.9    -0.9    -5.7 
    Owners' equivalent rent of primary                                                                                             
        residence (3) (4)..................  253.493   253.871   254.580   254.766     2.5     2.2     1.9     2.0     2.3     2.0 
    Tenants' and household insurance (1)                                                                                           
        (2)................................  119.944   119.916   120.232   120.019     2.4     4.8     2.9     0.3     3.6     1.6 
   Fuels and utilities.....................  224.377   223.111   219.524   218.362    13.7    28.8    -3.1   -10.3    21.0    -6.8 
    Household energy.......................  205.021   203.206   199.099   197.723    15.6    34.2    -5.4   -13.5    24.6    -9.6 
     Fuel oil and other fuels..............  353.309   322.208   278.365   252.782    49.2   116.7   -36.6   -73.8    79.8   -59.3 
     Gas (piped) and electricity (3).......  205.785   205.538   203.484   203.409    12.8    27.9    -1.5    -4.5    20.1    -3.0 
    Water and sewer and trash collection                                                                                           
        services (2).......................  154.269   155.827   156.427   156.788     5.0     4.8     9.4     6.7     4.9     8.1 
   Household furnishings and operations....  128.917   128.936   128.711   128.890     2.5     0.5     5.0    -0.1     1.5     2.4 
    Household operations (1) (2)...........  150.193   150.052   149.998   150.689     8.5     8.5     6.0     1.3     8.5     3.7 
                                                                                                                                   
  Apparel..................................  120.005   118.843   119.165   118.043    -4.7     1.0     6.6    -6.4    -1.9    -0.1 
   Men's and boys' apparel.................  113.108   112.533   111.786   110.906     3.9    -0.4    -0.1    -7.6     1.7    -3.9 
   Women's and girls' apparel..............  109.678   107.255   108.001   106.394   -16.6     0.6    15.9   -11.4    -8.4     1.3 
   Infants' and toddlers' apparel..........  113.172   113.815   114.398   113.412    -3.4    -2.6     0.9     0.9    -3.0     0.9 
   Footwear................................  123.572   123.896   125.281   124.307     2.4     4.3    -2.9     2.4     3.3    -0.3 
                                                                                                                                   
  Transportation...........................  205.036   194.031   175.106   167.363     2.4    22.3    -1.7   -55.6    11.9   -33.9 
   Private transportation..................  200.367   189.326   169.911   161.989     1.8    22.2    -2.1   -57.3    11.5   -35.3 
    New and used motor vehicles (2)........   92.900    92.229    91.425    91.073    -1.4    -0.7    -4.2    -7.6    -1.0    -5.9 
     New vehicles..........................  133.567   132.889   132.153   131.620    -2.7    -0.1    -4.2    -5.7    -1.4    -4.9 
     Used cars and trucks (1)..............  132.916   129.733   126.869   125.883     0.8    -3.6    -8.7   -19.5    -1.4   -14.3 
    Motor fuel.............................  317.962   273.671   194.333   161.723     3.0    69.2    -4.5   -93.3    32.0   -74.7 
     Gasoline (all types)..................  316.443   271.580   191.383   158.504     1.8    69.1    -3.3   -93.7    31.2   -75.3 
    Motor vehicle parts and equipment (1)..  131.048   131.917   132.947   133.077     8.0     4.8    10.5     6.3     6.4     8.4 
    Motor vehicle maintenance and repair...  237.284   238.108   238.802   239.375     6.3     6.6     7.0     3.6     6.5     5.3 
   Public transportation...................  261.556   252.920   246.102   242.894    11.5    23.6     4.9   -25.6    17.4   -11.7 
                                                                                                                                   
  Medical care.............................  365.836   366.470   367.316   368.350     3.2     2.1     2.5     2.8     2.7     2.6 
   Medical care commodities................  295.231   295.741   297.469   299.001     4.3    -3.0     0.2     5.2     0.6     2.7 
   Medical care services...................  387.816   388.489   388.922   389.708     2.8     4.0     3.3     2.0     3.4     2.6 
    Professional services..................  313.273   313.601   314.457   315.042     2.1     4.7     2.9     2.3     3.4     2.6 
    Hospital and related services (3)......  540.539   542.655   542.537   545.510     6.5     5.4     6.1     3.7     5.9     4.9 
                                                                                                                                   
  Recreation (2)...........................  114.120   114.214   114.222   113.995     2.3     0.6     4.6    -0.4     1.5     2.1 
   Video and audio (2).....................  102.801   102.168   102.084   102.223     0.3    -4.5     2.4    -2.2    -2.1     0.1 
                                                                                                                                   
  Education and communication (2)..........  124.615   124.888   125.157   125.550     3.2     5.1     3.3     3.0     4.1     3.2 
   Education (2)...........................  183.462   184.260   184.919   185.796     5.3     6.0     6.1     5.2     5.6     5.7 
    Educational books and supplies.........  461.555   462.451   463.867   466.658     1.2     6.4    16.3     4.5     3.8    10.2 
    Tuition, other school fees, and                                                                                                
        childcare..........................  527.863   530.257   532.175   534.646     5.6     5.9     5.4     5.2     5.8     5.3 
   Communication (2).......................   84.526    84.538    84.604    84.740     1.0     4.3     0.6     1.0     2.7     0.8 
    Information and information processing                                                                                         
        (1) (2)............................   81.635    81.652    81.723    81.886     1.0     3.8     0.6     1.2     2.4     0.9 
     Telephone services (1) (2)............  101.311   101.407   101.538   101.688     1.0     6.8     2.5     1.5     3.9     2.0 
     Information technology, hardware and                                                                                          
         services (1) (5)..................    9.901     9.874     9.867     9.906     1.2    -6.7    -6.6     0.2    -2.8    -3.2 
      Personal computers and peripheral                                                                                            
          equipment (1) (6)................   90.797    89.945    88.984    88.529     1.4   -17.4   -18.8    -9.6    -8.5   -14.4 
                                                                                                                                   
  Other goods and services.................  348.540   349.441   349.336   349.225     4.5     5.2     3.3     0.8     4.8     2.1 
   Tobacco and smoking products (1)........  597.581   599.744   599.820   602.644     5.9    10.9     5.3     3.4     8.4     4.4 
   Personal care...........................  202.768   203.231   203.144   202.778     4.1     3.6     2.8     0.0     3.8     1.4 
    Personal care products (1).............  159.643   159.826   161.000   161.397     0.5     1.1     2.0     4.5     0.8     3.2 
    Personal care services (1).............  224.614   225.564   226.197   226.281     5.8     1.4     2.0     3.0     3.5     2.5 
    Miscellaneous personal services........  343.441   343.499   340.689   340.273     5.4     6.4     4.0    -3.6     5.9     0.1 
                                                                                                                                   
        Commodity and service group                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                   
 Commodities...............................  179.530   175.334   168.069   164.769     2.6    12.0     2.2   -29.0     7.2   -14.8 
  Food and beverages.......................  217.996   218.569   218.981   218.915     5.1     8.1     8.5     1.7     6.6     5.0 
  Commodities less food and beverages......  158.058   152.036   141.850   137.326     1.1    14.2    -1.1   -43.0     7.5   -24.9 
   Nondurables less food and beverages.....  205.585   194.214   175.859   165.396     8.4    26.1    -5.8   -58.1    16.9   -37.2 
    Apparel................................  120.005   118.843   119.165   118.043    -4.7     1.0     6.6    -6.4    -1.9    -0.1 
    Nondurables less food, beverages, and                                                                                          
        apparel............................  266.376   245.230   210.977   197.709    13.3    34.9    -4.9   -69.7    23.7   -46.3 
   Durables................................  110.513   109.868   109.244   108.815    -1.1    -1.9    -2.7    -6.0    -1.5    -4.3 
 Services..................................  257.662   257.742   257.820   258.035     3.5     5.1     2.8     0.6     4.3     1.7 
  Rent of shelter (4)......................  258.498   258.583   259.077   259.211     2.2     2.2     2.3     1.1     2.2     1.7 
  Tenants' and household insurance (1) (2)   119.944   119.916   120.232   120.019     2.4     4.8     2.9     0.3     3.6     1.6 
  Gas (piped) and electricity (3)..........  205.785   205.538   203.484   203.409    12.8    27.9    -1.5    -4.5    20.1    -3.0 
  Water and sewer and trash collection                                                                                             
      services (2).........................  154.269   155.827   156.427   156.788     5.0     4.8     9.4     6.7     4.9     8.1 
  Household operations (1) (2).............  150.193   150.052   149.998   150.689     8.5     8.5     6.0     1.3     8.5     3.7 
  Transportation services..................  248.422   247.447   246.653   246.753     5.5     8.7     5.5    -2.7     7.1     1.4 
  Medical care services....................  387.816   388.489   388.922   389.708     2.8     4.0     3.3     2.0     3.4     2.6 
  Other services...........................  298.481   298.953   299.356   299.986     3.6     4.3     4.1     2.0     4.0     3.1 
                                                                                                                                   
              Special indexes                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                   
 All items less food.......................  218.972   216.434   212.128   210.329     2.7     7.8     1.7   -14.9     5.3    -7.0 
 All items less shelter....................  209.885   206.884   201.569   199.321     3.6    10.7     2.8   -18.7     7.1    -8.6 
 All items less medical care...............  211.322   209.135   205.347   203.694     3.1     8.3     2.6   -13.7     5.7    -5.9 
 Commodities less food.....................  160.257   154.412   144.517   140.144     1.2    13.8    -0.9   -41.5     7.3   -23.9 
 Nondurables less food.....................  206.042   195.181   177.989   168.805     6.0    28.3    -6.8   -54.9    16.6   -35.2 
 Nondurables less food and apparel.........  259.597   241.328   210.875   199.416    10.4    34.2    -6.1   -65.2    21.7   -42.8 
 Nondurables...............................  212.583   207.029   196.797   191.846     5.9    18.8    -0.3   -33.7    12.2   -18.7 
 Services less rent of shelter (4).........  276.660   276.380   275.814   276.292     5.1     9.5     3.5    -0.5     7.3     1.4 
 Services less medical care services.......  247.172   247.197   247.090   247.344     3.5     5.6     2.7     0.3     4.6     1.5 
 Energy....................................  257.086   235.053   195.144   178.901     8.6    53.6    -4.9   -76.6    29.1   -52.8 
 All items less energy.....................  216.528   216.484   216.580   216.526     2.5     3.4     3.6     0.0     3.0     1.8 
  All items less food and energy...........  216.956   216.801   216.849   216.816     2.0     2.5     2.7    -0.3     2.3     1.2 
   Commodities less food and energy                                                                                                
       commodities.........................  140.655   140.136   139.853   139.438    -0.1    -0.1     1.4    -3.4    -0.1    -1.0 
    Energy commodities.....................  321.888   278.005   200.024   167.573     5.6    71.8    -6.8   -92.7    34.7   -73.8 
   Services less energy services...........  263.046   263.159   263.444   263.687     2.9     3.6     3.2     1.0     3.2     2.1 

   1 Not seasonally adjusted.
   2 Indexes on a December 1997=100 base.
   3 This index series was calculated using a Laspeyres estimator.  All other item stratum index series were calculated using a
 geometric means estimator.
   4 Indexes on a December 1982=100 base.
   5 Indexes on a December 1988=100 base.
   6 Indexes on a December 2007=100 base.
 NOTE:  Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.


 Table 3. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): Selected areas, all items index 

 (1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)
                                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                  
                                                                                   All items                                      
                                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                  
                                                                       Indexes                 Percent change to Percent change to
                    CPI-U                      Pricing                                          Dec.2008 from--   Nov.2008 from-- 
                                              schedule                                                                            
                                                 (1)      Sep.      Oct.      Nov.      Dec.                                      
                                                          2008      2008      2008      2008    Dec.  Oct.  Nov.  Nov.  Sep.  Oct.
                                                                                                2007  2008  2008  2007  2008  2008
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                  
 U.S. city average...........................    M      218.783   216.573   212.425   210.228   0.1  -2.9  -1.0   1.1  -2.9  -1.9 
                                                                                                                                  
           Region and area size(2)                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                  
 Northeast urban.............................    M      232.841   230.837   227.236   225.091   0.7  -2.5  -0.9   1.7  -2.4  -1.6 
   Size A - More than 1,500,000..............    M      235.314   233.165   229.625   227.681   0.9  -2.4  -0.8   1.7  -2.4  -1.5 
   Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 (3)........    M      137.723   136.730   134.445   132.830   0.4  -2.9  -1.2   1.8  -2.4  -1.7 
                                                                                                                                  
 Midwest urban...............................    M      209.252   206.019   201.737   199.582  -0.3  -3.1  -1.1   0.5  -3.6  -2.1 
   Size A - More than 1,500,000..............    M      210.283   207.049   202.922   200.465  -0.5  -3.2  -1.2   0.5  -3.5  -2.0 
   Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 (3)........    M      133.982   131.946   129.018   128.018   0.0  -3.0  -0.8   0.5  -3.7  -2.2 
   Size D -  Nonmetropolitan  (less than                                                                                          
       50,000)...............................    M      205.522   202.086   197.883   195.383  -0.2  -3.3  -1.3   0.7  -3.7  -2.1 
                                                                                                                                  
 South urban.................................    M      212.650   210.108   205.559   203.501   0.0  -3.1  -1.0   1.0  -3.3  -2.2 
   Size A - More than 1,500,000..............    M      214.854   212.617   208.644   206.414   0.2  -2.9  -1.1   1.4  -2.9  -1.9 
   Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 (3)........    M      135.093   133.285   130.324   129.099  -0.2  -3.1  -0.9   0.6  -3.5  -2.2 
   Size D -  Nonmetropolitan  (less than                                                                                          
       50,000)...............................    M      215.258   213.103   206.659   204.428   0.8  -4.1  -1.1   2.0  -4.0  -3.0 
                                                                                                                                  
 West urban..................................    M      222.132   221.034   217.113   214.685   0.0  -2.9  -1.1   1.0  -2.3  -1.8 
   Size A - More than 1,500,000..............    M      225.910   224.967   220.925   218.698   0.3  -2.8  -1.0   1.3  -2.2  -1.8 
   Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 (3)........    M      134.834   133.795   131.440   129.725  -0.6  -3.0  -1.3   0.7  -2.5  -1.8 
                                                                                                                                  
                 Size classes                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                  
   A (4).....................................    M      199.982   198.148   194.628   192.646   0.3  -2.8  -1.0   1.3  -2.7  -1.8 
   B/C (3)...................................    M      135.160   133.587   130.857   129.519  -0.2  -3.0  -1.0   0.8  -3.2  -2.0 
   D.........................................    M      211.740   209.755   204.856   202.359   0.0  -3.5  -1.2   1.2  -3.3  -2.3 
                                                                                                                                  
           Selected local areas(5)                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                  
 Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI..............    M      215.465   213.363   209.053   205.959  -0.6  -3.5  -1.5   0.6  -3.0  -2.0 
 Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA.....    M      227.449   226.159   222.229   219.620   0.1  -2.9  -1.2   1.0  -2.3  -1.7 
 New York-Northern N.J.-Long Island,                                                                                              
     NY-NJ-CT-PA.............................    M      240.089   238.403   234.498   233.012   1.6  -2.3  -0.6   2.2  -2.3  -1.6 
                                                                                                                                  
 Boston-Brockton-Nashua, MA-NH-ME-CT.........    1      238.519         -   232.354         -     -     -     -   0.7  -2.6     - 
 Cleveland-Akron, OH.........................    1      206.219         -   198.187         -     -     -     -   0.2  -3.9     - 
 Dallas-Fort Worth, TX.......................    1      205.883         -   200.051         -     -     -     -   1.8  -2.8     - 
 Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV (6).......    1      142.036         -   138.547         -     -     -     -   2.5  -2.5     - 
                                                                                                                                  
 Atlanta, GA.................................    2            -   206.388         -   196.961  -2.9  -4.6     -     -     -     - 
 Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, MI.................    2            -   205.238         -   197.991  -1.1  -3.5     -     -     -     - 
 Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX..............    2            -   191.140         -   185.930  -0.2  -2.7     -     -     -     - 
 Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL...................    2            -   223.699         -   218.324   0.5  -2.4     -     -     -     - 
 Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City,                                                                                           
     PA-NJ-DE-MD.............................    2            -   225.113         -   218.186  -0.4  -3.1     -     -     -     - 
 San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA..........    2            -   225.824         -   218.528   0.0  -3.2     -     -     -     - 
 Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA................    2            -   225.915         -   222.580   1.7  -1.5     -     -     -     - 

   1 Areas on pricing schedule 2 (see Table 10) will appear next month. 
   2 Regions defined as the four Census regions.  See technical notes.
   3 Indexes on a December 1996=100 base.
   4 Indexes on a December 1986=100 base.
   5 In addition, the following metropolitan areas are published semiannually and appear in Tables 34 and 39 of the January and
 July issues of the CPI Detailed Report: Anchorage, AK; Cincinnati-Hamilton, OH-KY-IN; Denver-Boulder-Greeley, CO; Honolulu, HI;
 Kansas City, MO-KS; Milwaukee-Racine, WI; Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI; Phoenix-Mesa, AZ; Pittsburgh, PA; Portland-Salem, OR-WA;
 St. Louis, MO-IL; San Diego, CA; Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL.
   6 Indexes on a November 1996=100 base.
   - Data not available.
 NOTE:  Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.


 Table 4. Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W): U.S. city average, by expenditure
 category and commodity and service group

 (1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)
                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                        
                                                                                    Unadjusted                          
                                                             Unadjusted indexes   percent change   Seasonally adjusted  
                                                 Relative                          to Dec. 2008    percent change from- 
                     CPI-W                     importance,                            from-                             
                                                 December                                                               
                                                   2007       Nov.       Dec.                      Sep.    Oct.    Nov. 
                                                              2008       2008      Dec.    Nov.     to      to      to  
                                                                                   2007    2008    Oct.    Nov.    Dec. 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                        
             Expenditure category                                                                                       
                                                                                                                        
 All items....................................    100.000    207.296    204.813    -0.5    -1.2    -1.2    -2.1    -0.9 
 All items (1967=100).........................          -    617.472    610.075       -       -       -       -       - 
                                                                                                                        
  Food and beverages..........................     15.926    218.178    218.269     5.9     0.0     0.3     0.2     0.0 
   Food.......................................     14.901    218.114    218.155     6.0     0.0     0.3     0.2    -0.1 
    Food at home..............................      8.595    217.956    217.498     6.5    -0.2     0.1     0.0    -0.4 
     Cereals and bakery products..............      1.110    253.498    253.759    11.9     0.1     0.7     0.2     0.3 
     Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs...........      2.192    209.297    208.639     5.1    -0.3     0.6    -0.7    -0.4 
     Dairy and related products...............       .965    212.184    209.922     2.3    -1.1    -1.1     0.4    -0.9 
     Fruits and vegetables....................      1.218    281.279    278.835     3.5    -0.9    -2.3    -0.3    -2.6 
     Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage                                                                                
         materials............................      1.094    162.472    162.280     6.1    -0.1     1.3     0.1     0.0 
     Other food at home.......................      2.016    188.685    189.527     9.2     0.4     0.6     0.6     0.6 
      Sugar and sweets........................       .279    190.501    192.120     8.5     0.8     0.6     0.6     1.1 
      Fats and oils...........................       .232    206.870    207.439    17.4     0.3     0.6     0.1     0.9 
      Other foods.............................      1.504    203.126    203.937     8.1     0.4     0.6     0.6     0.4 
       Other miscellaneous foods (1) (2)......       .438    123.837    124.144     7.3     0.2     1.2     0.7     0.2 
    Food away from home (1)...................      6.305    220.107    220.847     5.2     0.3     0.5     0.4     0.3 
     Other food away from home (1) (2)........       .218    153.464    153.646     6.4     0.1     1.1     0.4     0.1 
   Alcoholic beverages........................      1.025    217.626    218.445     4.6     0.4     0.4     0.5     0.7 
                                                                                                                        
  Housing.....................................     39.994    212.591    212.452     2.8    -0.1     0.0    -0.1     0.0 
   Shelter....................................     30.397    240.740    240.752     2.2     0.0     0.1     0.2     0.1 
    Rent of primary residence (3).............      7.979    245.425    246.026     3.3     0.2     0.3     0.3     0.2 
    Lodging away from home (2)................      1.233    133.747    129.982    -2.4    -2.8    -1.2    -0.7    -0.5 
    Owners' equivalent rent of primary                                                                                  
        residence (3) (4).....................     20.888    230.743    230.926     2.1     0.1     0.1     0.3     0.1 
    Tenants' and household insurance (1) (2)..       .297    120.589    120.360     2.5    -0.2     0.0     0.3    -0.2 
   Fuels and utilities........................      5.637    214.700    213.861     6.5    -0.4    -0.5    -1.5    -0.4 
    Household energy..........................      4.670    193.000    192.050     6.5    -0.5    -0.8    -1.9    -0.5 
     Fuel oil and other fuels.................       .323    283.747    260.185   -12.9    -8.3    -8.5   -12.7    -8.3 
     Gas (piped) and electricity (3)..........      4.347    197.507    197.545     7.9     0.0    -0.2    -1.1     0.0 
    Water and sewer and trash collection                                                                                
        services (2)..........................       .966    156.702    156.864     6.6     0.1     1.1     0.4     0.2 
   Household furnishings and operations.......      3.960    124.466    124.314     2.0    -0.1     0.0    -0.2     0.0 
    Household operations (1) (2)..............       .339    152.247    152.814     5.6     0.4    -0.2    -0.2     0.4 
                                                                                                                        
  Apparel.....................................      3.998    121.149    117.006    -0.9    -3.4    -1.2     0.2    -1.0 
   Men's and boys' apparel....................      1.031    114.651    111.232    -1.1    -3.0    -0.4    -0.8    -0.7 
   Women's and girls' apparel.................      1.619    110.612    105.413    -3.6    -4.7    -3.1     0.5    -1.5 
   Infants' and toddlers' apparel.............       .251    118.611    115.003    -1.2    -3.0     0.3     0.7    -1.5 
   Footwear...................................       .821    126.689    124.152     1.7    -2.0     0.4     0.8    -0.6 
                                                                                                                        
  Transportation..............................     20.054    170.870    160.914   -15.3    -5.8    -6.0   -10.9    -5.0 
   Private transportation.....................     19.287    167.301    157.272   -16.0    -6.0    -6.1   -11.3    -5.1 
    New and used motor vehicles (2)...........      7.952     89.783     89.482    -4.5    -0.3    -1.1    -1.1    -0.5 
     New vehicles.............................      4.172    133.380    133.317    -3.2     0.0    -0.5    -0.6    -0.4 
     Used cars and trucks (1).................      3.103    127.540    126.526    -8.2    -0.8    -2.4    -2.2    -0.8 
    Motor fuel................................      6.940    187.770    149.650   -42.2   -20.3   -13.9   -29.1   -16.7 
     Gasoline (all types).....................      6.597    184.855    146.644   -43.1   -20.7   -14.2   -29.6   -17.1 
    Motor vehicle parts and equipment (1).....       .446    133.125    133.295     7.7     0.1     0.8     0.8     0.1 
    Motor vehicle maintenance and repair......      1.169    241.509    241.855     5.8     0.1     0.3     0.3     0.3 
   Public transportation......................       .767    240.496    235.199     1.7    -2.2    -3.3    -2.8    -1.2 
                                                                                                                        
  Medical care................................      5.192    366.800    367.301     2.7     0.1     0.1     0.2     0.3 
   Medical care commodities...................      1.295    289.046    290.080     1.5     0.4     0.1     0.6     0.6 
   Medical care services......................      3.897    389.493    389.744     3.1     0.1     0.1     0.1     0.2 
    Professional services.....................      2.159    315.825    316.435     3.0     0.2     0.1     0.2     0.2 
    Hospital and related services (3).........      1.260    539.864    540.101     5.7     0.0     0.3    -0.1     0.6 
                                                                                                                        
  Recreation (2)..............................      5.341    110.826    110.487     1.6    -0.3     0.0    -0.1    -0.2 
   Video and audio (2)........................      1.987    101.974    101.810    -0.7    -0.2    -0.6    -0.1     0.2 
                                                                                                                        
  Education and communication (2).............      5.987    121.636    121.819     3.4     0.2     0.2     0.2     0.3 
   Education (2)..............................      2.377    184.115    184.352     5.8     0.1     0.5     0.3     0.5 
    Educational books and supplies............       .204    465.576    467.179     6.8     0.3     0.3     0.2     0.6 
    Tuition, other school fees, and childcare       2.174    518.938    519.500     5.7     0.1     0.5     0.4     0.5 
   Communication (2)..........................      3.609     87.300     87.444     1.9     0.2     0.0     0.1     0.2 
    Information and information processing (1)                                                                          
        (2)...................................      3.488     85.292     85.454     1.8     0.2     0.0     0.1     0.2 
     Telephone services (1) (2)...............      2.869    101.564    101.720     2.9     0.2     0.1     0.1     0.2 
     Information technology, hardware and                                                                               
         services (1) (5).....................       .619     10.367     10.406    -2.9     0.4    -0.4    -0.1     0.4 
      Personal computers and peripheral                                                                                 
          equipment (1) (6)...................       .228     88.631     88.176   -11.8    -0.5    -1.1    -1.2    -0.5 
                                                                                                                        
  Other goods and services....................      3.508    362.550    362.986     4.1     0.1     0.3     0.1     0.1 
   Tobacco and smoking products (1)...........      1.183    602.881    605.662     6.6     0.5     0.4     0.1     0.5 
   Personal care..............................      2.325    201.036    200.918     2.8    -0.1     0.2     0.1    -0.1 
    Personal care products (1)................       .647    160.994    161.295     1.8     0.2     0.1     0.7     0.2 
    Personal care services (1)................       .560    226.433    226.578     3.0     0.1     0.4     0.3     0.1 
    Miscellaneous personal services...........       .910    342.853    342.530     3.5    -0.1    -0.1    -0.4     0.0 
                                                                                                                        
          Commodity and service group                                                                                   
                                                                                                                        
 Commodities..................................     44.745    168.926    164.233    -5.0    -2.8    -2.7    -4.9    -2.2 
  Food and beverages..........................     15.926    218.178    218.269     5.9     0.0     0.3     0.2     0.0 
  Commodities less food and beverages.........     28.819    143.544    137.015   -11.1    -4.5    -4.4    -7.8    -3.6 
   Nondurables less food and beverages........     17.315    178.209    164.879   -16.2    -7.5    -6.2   -10.8    -6.6 
    Apparel...................................      3.998    121.149    117.006    -0.9    -3.4    -1.2     0.2    -1.0 
    Nondurables less food, beverages, and                                                                               
        apparel...............................     13.318    217.500    198.108   -20.7    -8.9    -8.4   -15.4    -6.9 
   Durables...................................     11.504    109.038    108.576    -3.4    -0.4    -0.8    -0.7    -0.5 
 Services.....................................     55.255    252.144    252.176     3.2     0.0     0.1     0.1     0.1 
  Rent of shelter (4).........................     30.100    232.096    232.112     2.2     0.0     0.1     0.3     0.1 
  Tenants' and household insurance (1) (2)....       .297    120.589    120.360     2.5    -0.2     0.0     0.3    -0.2 
  Gas (piped) and electricity (3).............      4.347    197.507    197.545     7.9     0.0    -0.2    -1.1     0.0 
  Water and sewer and trash collection                                                                                  
      services (2)............................       .966    156.702    156.864     6.6     0.1     1.1     0.4     0.2 
  Household operations (1) (2)................       .339    152.247    152.814     5.6     0.4    -0.2    -0.2     0.4 
  Transportation services.....................      5.266    246.126    245.881     4.2    -0.1    -0.2    -0.1     0.1 
  Medical care services.......................      3.897    389.493    389.744     3.1     0.1     0.1     0.1     0.2 
  Other services..............................     10.042    288.082    288.227     3.4     0.1     0.1     0.2     0.2 
                                                                                                                        
                Special indexes                                                                                         
                                                                                                                        
 All items less food..........................     85.099    205.214    202.292    -1.6    -1.4    -1.5    -2.5    -1.1 
 All items less shelter.......................     69.603    197.342    193.918    -1.7    -1.7    -1.8    -3.1    -1.4 
 All items less medical care..................     94.808    200.707    198.153    -0.6    -1.3    -1.3    -2.3    -1.0 
 Commodities less food........................     29.844    145.985    139.620   -10.5    -4.4    -4.2    -7.5    -3.5 
 Nondurables less food........................     18.341    180.533    167.933   -15.0    -7.0    -5.9   -10.2    -6.1 
 Nondurables less food and apparel............     14.343    216.516    198.909   -18.9    -8.1    -7.9   -14.3    -6.2 
 Nondurables..................................     33.241    198.009    190.910    -5.6    -3.6    -3.0    -5.6    -3.2 
 Services less rent of shelter (4)............     25.155    243.599    243.646     4.4     0.0    -0.2    -0.2     0.2 
 Services less medical care services..........     51.358    242.058    242.079     3.2     0.0     0.0     0.0     0.1 
 Energy.......................................     11.610    188.375    168.726   -22.6   -10.4    -9.0   -17.8    -8.7 
 All items less energy........................     88.390    210.541    210.168     2.4    -0.2     0.0     0.0     0.0 
  All items less food and energy..............     73.489    209.383    208.925     1.7    -0.2    -0.1     0.0     0.0 
   Commodities less food and energy                                                                                     
       commodities............................     22.581    140.793    139.731    -0.8    -0.8    -0.5    -0.3    -0.3 
    Energy commodities........................      7.264    192.494    154.744   -40.9   -19.6   -13.7   -28.3   -16.3 
   Services less energy services..............     50.908    258.008    258.039     2.8     0.0     0.1     0.2     0.1 
 Purchasing power of the consumer dollar                                                                                
     (1982-84=$1.00)..........................          -     $ .482     $ .488       -       -       -       -       - 
 Purchasing power of the consumer dollar                                                                                
     (1967=$1.00).............................          -     $ .162     $ .164       -       -       -       -       - 

   1 Not seasonally adjusted.
   2 Indexes on a December 1997=100 base.
   3 This index series was calculated using a Laspeyres estimator.  All other item stratum index series were calculated
 using a geometric means estimator.
   4 Indexes on a December 1984=100 base
   5 Indexes on a December 1988=100 base.
   6 Indexes on a December 2007=100 base.
   - Data not available.
 NOTE:  Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.


 Table 5. Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W): Seasonally adjusted U.S. city average, by
 expenditure category and commodity and service group

 (1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)
                                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                   
                                                  Seasonally adjusted indexes        Seasonally adjusted annual rate percent change
                                                                                                          for                      
                                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                   
                   CPI-W                                                                    3 months ended--            6 months   
                                                                                                                        ended--    
                                               Sep.      Oct.      Nov.      Dec.                                                  
                                               2008      2008      2008      2008                                                  
                                                                                      Mar.    June    Sep.    Dec.    June    Dec. 
                                                                                      2008    2008    2008    2008    2008    2008 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                   
            Expenditure category                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                   
 All items.................................  214.946   212.361   207.847   205.956     3.3     9.0     2.5   -15.7     6.1    -7.0 
                                                                                                                                   
  Food and beverages.......................  217.401   218.005   218.417   218.355     5.1     8.4     8.7     1.8     6.7     5.2 
   Food....................................  217.375   217.962   218.330   218.159     5.2     8.7     8.9     1.5     7.0     5.1 
    Food at home...........................  218.085   218.328   218.329   217.505     5.8    11.4    10.7    -1.1     8.6     4.7 
     Cereals and bakery products...........  252.230   254.031   254.580   255.350    16.0    15.7    11.4     5.0    15.9     8.2 
     Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs........  209.114   210.380   208.935   208.083     2.4     7.5    13.0    -2.0     5.0     5.2 
     Dairy and related products............  213.317   211.048   211.860   209.981    -0.2    10.9     5.6    -6.1     5.2    -0.4 
     Fruits and vegetables.................  288.190   281.464   280.614   273.436     4.1    22.7    11.4   -19.0    13.0    -5.0 
     Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage                                                                                           
         materials.........................  160.916   163.076   163.225   163.220     7.5     2.8     8.5     5.9     5.1     7.2 
     Other food at home....................  187.670   188.794   189.849   190.906     6.5    12.1    11.3     7.1     9.3     9.2 
      Sugar and sweets.....................  189.095   190.215   191.433   193.504     6.6     6.6    11.3     9.7     6.6    10.5 
      Fats and oils........................  207.065   208.358   208.546   210.339     7.8    36.3    21.3     6.5    21.2    13.7 
      Other foods..........................  201.892   203.095   204.360   205.195     6.4     9.6     9.7     6.7     8.0     8.2 
       Other miscellaneous foods (1) (2)...  121.589   123.026   123.837   124.144     7.4     3.9     9.4     8.7     5.6     9.1 
    Food away from home (1)................  218.147   219.219   220.107   220.847     4.4     5.1     6.3     5.0     4.7     5.7 
     Other food away from home (1) (2).....  151.321   152.910   153.464   153.646     7.8     5.9     5.5     6.3     6.8     5.9 
   Alcoholic beverages.....................  216.292   217.149   218.182   219.748     3.0     3.0     5.7     6.5     3.0     6.1 
                                                                                                                                   
  Housing..................................  213.496   213.543   213.408   213.410     3.6     5.9     1.9    -0.2     4.7     0.8 
   Shelter.................................  240.297   240.616   241.193   241.386     2.1     2.6     2.1     1.8     2.3     2.0 
    Rent of primary residence (3)..........  243.875   244.675   245.342   245.790     3.0     3.5     3.4     3.2     3.3     3.3 
    Lodging away from home (2).............  144.035   142.329   141.362   140.713    -5.2     4.8    -1.3    -8.9    -0.3    -5.2 
    Owners' equivalent rent of primary                                                                                             
        residence (3) (4)..................  229.663   229.991   230.644   230.822     2.6     2.0     1.8     2.0     2.3     1.9 
    Tenants' and household insurance (1)                                                                                           
        (2)................................  120.279   120.258   120.589   120.360     2.1     4.5     3.3     0.3     3.3     1.8 
   Fuels and utilities.....................  222.522   221.400   218.105   217.262    13.1    28.3    -1.6    -9.1    20.5    -5.4 
    Household energy.......................  202.000   200.368   196.628   195.628    15.0    33.5    -3.6   -12.0    23.9    -7.9 
     Fuel oil and other fuels..............  350.353   320.577   279.760   256.590    45.0   108.2   -33.7   -71.2    73.7   -56.3 
     Gas (piped) and electricity (3).......  204.284   203.862   201.644   201.610    12.8    28.7    -0.6    -5.1    20.5    -2.9 
    Water and sewer and trash collection                                                                                           
        services (2).......................  154.652   156.289   156.953   157.292     4.7     4.7    10.0     7.0     4.7     8.5 
   Household furnishings and operations....  124.860   124.842   124.587   124.562     2.6     1.0     5.5    -1.0     1.8     2.2 
    Household operations (1) (2)...........  152.850   152.612   152.247   152.814     7.6    10.0     5.4    -0.1     8.8     2.6 
                                                                                                                                   
  Apparel..................................  120.102   118.614   118.864   117.715    -3.1     0.2     7.6    -7.7    -1.5    -0.3 
   Men's and boys' apparel.................  113.679   113.184   112.252   111.461     4.3    -1.5     0.7    -7.6     1.4    -3.5 
   Women's and girls' apparel..............  110.689   107.308   107.834   106.183   -15.1    -0.8    20.7   -15.3    -8.2     1.1 
   Infants' and toddlers' apparel..........  115.496   115.890   116.742   115.007     0.7    -2.9    -1.0    -1.7    -1.1    -1.3 
   Footwear................................  123.558   124.008   125.026   124.295     4.2     2.7    -2.3     2.4     3.5     0.0 
                                                                                                                                   
  Transportation...........................  205.872   193.620   172.496   163.935     2.8    23.7    -2.4   -59.8    12.8   -37.4 
   Private transportation..................  202.585   190.310   168.891   160.215     2.5    23.7    -2.6   -60.9    12.6   -38.3 
    New and used motor vehicles (2)........   91.646    90.675    89.665    89.237    -0.9    -1.3    -5.4   -10.1    -1.1    -7.8 
     New vehicles..........................  134.684   133.947   133.188   132.649    -2.4    -0.2    -4.2    -5.9    -1.3    -5.1 
     Used cars and trucks (1)..............  133.669   130.444   127.540   126.526     0.8    -3.7    -8.8   -19.7    -1.4   -14.4 
    Motor fuel.............................  319.245   274.761   194.879   162.298     3.5    68.6    -4.4   -93.3    32.1   -74.7 
     Gasoline (all types)..................  317.912   272.741   191.944   159.138     2.0    69.1    -3.3   -93.7    31.3   -75.4 
    Motor vehicle parts and equipment (1)..  131.072   132.088   133.125   133.295     8.5     4.6    10.8     7.0     6.5     8.9 
    Motor vehicle maintenance and repair...  239.756   240.510   241.219   241.855     6.4     6.1     7.1     3.5     6.2     5.3 
   Public transportation...................  258.294   249.715   242.846   239.925    11.4    24.9     3.1   -25.6    17.9   -12.4 
                                                                                                                                   
  Medical care.............................  366.132   366.635   367.415   368.485     3.2     2.1     2.8     2.6     2.6     2.7 
   Medical care commodities................  287.227   287.613   289.320   290.912     3.6    -3.5     0.7     5.2     0.0     2.9 
   Medical care services...................  389.352   389.891   390.239   391.046     3.1     4.0     3.5     1.8     3.5     2.6 
    Professional services..................  315.757   316.135   316.915   317.566     2.1     4.4     3.0     2.3     3.2     2.7 
    Hospital and related services (3)......  537.382   539.145   538.389   541.352     7.4     6.1     6.4     3.0     6.8     4.7 
                                                                                                                                   
  Recreation (2)...........................  110.998   111.021   110.958   110.777     2.5     0.2     4.7    -0.8     1.4     1.9 
   Video and audio (2).....................  102.922   102.257   102.168   102.337     1.1    -4.4     3.0    -2.3    -1.7     0.3 
                                                                                                                                   
  Education and communication (2)..........  120.747   121.001   121.229   121.594     2.6     5.1     3.2     2.8     3.9     3.0 
   Education (2)...........................  181.030   181.968   182.592   183.509     5.2     5.8     6.6     5.6     5.5     6.1 
    Educational books and supplies.........  464.432   465.921   466.752   469.527     0.4     6.5    16.5     4.5     3.4    10.3 
    Tuition, other school fees, and                                                                                                
        childcare..........................  509.542   512.277   514.115   516.653     5.7     5.7     5.7     5.7     5.7     5.7 
   Communication (2).......................   87.225    87.228    87.301    87.446     0.8     4.7     1.0     1.0     2.8     1.0 
    Information and information processing                                                                                         
        (1) (2)............................   85.208    85.214    85.292    85.454     0.8     4.4     0.9     1.2     2.6     1.1 
     Telephone services (1) (2)............  101.350   101.436   101.564   101.720     0.8     6.8     2.5     1.5     3.7     2.0 
     Information technology, hardware and                                                                                          
         services (1) (5)..................   10.414    10.375    10.367    10.406     0.9    -5.8    -6.3    -0.3    -2.5    -3.4 
      Personal computers and peripheral                                                                                            
          equipment (1) (6)................   90.722    89.690    88.631    88.176     1.1   -16.8   -19.5   -10.8    -8.3   -15.2 
                                                                                                                                   
  Other goods and services.................  361.459   362.487   362.769   363.055     4.8     6.1     3.6     1.8     5.5     2.7 
   Tobacco and smoking products (1)........  600.293   602.533   602.881   605.662     6.1    11.1     5.5     3.6     8.6     4.6 
   Personal care...........................  200.567   201.043   201.221   200.976     4.1     3.7     2.6     0.8     3.9     1.7 
    Personal care products (1).............  159.730   159.914   160.994   161.295     0.8     0.8     1.7     4.0     0.8     2.8 
    Personal care services (1).............  224.910   225.800   226.433   226.578     5.8     1.4     1.9     3.0     3.6     2.5 
    Miscellaneous personal services........  345.068   344.743   343.275   343.429     5.2     6.6     4.4    -1.9     5.9     1.2 
                                                                                                                                   
        Commodity and service group                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                   
 Commodities...............................  183.072   178.054   169.415   165.609     3.1    13.3     2.2   -33.0     8.1   -17.3 
  Food and beverages.......................  217.401   218.005   218.417   218.355     5.1     8.4     8.7     1.8     6.7     5.2 
  Commodities less food and beverages......  163.433   156.243   144.123   138.883     1.8    16.0    -1.2   -47.9     8.7   -28.2 
   Nondurables less food and beverages.....  216.425   202.998   180.978   169.082     9.3    29.4    -6.2   -62.7    18.9   -40.9 
    Apparel................................  120.102   118.614   118.864   117.715    -3.1     0.2     7.6    -7.7    -1.5    -0.3 
    Nondurables less food, beverages, and                                                                                          
        apparel............................  283.308   259.494   219.482   204.365    11.7    40.6    -7.1   -72.9    25.3   -49.8 
   Durables................................  110.738   109.905   109.094   108.600    -0.3    -2.2    -3.7    -7.5    -1.2    -5.6 
 Services..................................  252.363   252.575   252.756   253.057     3.5     5.5     2.8     1.1     4.5     1.9 
  Rent of shelter (4)......................  231.740   232.006   232.713   232.974     2.0     2.5     2.4     2.1     2.2     2.3 
  Tenants' and household insurance (1) (2)   120.279   120.258   120.589   120.360     2.1     4.5     3.3     0.3     3.3     1.8 
  Gas (piped) and electricity (3)..........  204.284   203.862   201.644   201.610    12.8    28.7    -0.6    -5.1    20.5    -2.9 
  Water and sewer and trash collection                                                                                             
      services (2).........................  154.652   156.289   156.953   157.292     4.7     4.7    10.0     7.0     4.7     8.5 
  Household operations (1) (2).............  152.850   152.612   152.247   152.814     7.6    10.0     5.4    -0.1     8.8     2.6 
  Transportation services..................  246.228   245.773   245.541   245.895     4.7     7.8     5.0    -0.5     6.2     2.2 
  Medical care services....................  389.352   389.891   390.239   391.046     3.1     4.0     3.5     1.8     3.5     2.6 
  Other services...........................  286.893   287.198   287.677   288.351     3.2     4.1     4.2     2.0     3.7     3.1 
                                                                                                                                   
              Special indexes                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                   
 All items less food.......................  214.323   211.186   205.823   203.633     2.9     9.0     1.5   -18.5     5.9    -9.1 
 All items less shelter....................  208.034   204.359   197.934   195.260     3.8    11.8     2.7   -22.4     7.7   -10.7 
 All items less medical care...............  208.547   205.889   201.251   199.286     3.3     9.4     2.5   -16.6     6.3    -7.5 
 Commodities less food.....................  165.404   158.393   146.565   141.480     1.9    15.6    -1.0   -46.5     8.5   -27.2 
 Nondurables less food.....................  216.742   204.058   183.159   171.967     9.2    27.9    -5.6   -60.4    18.1   -38.8 
 Nondurables less food and apparel.........  276.627   254.725   218.302   204.725    11.2    38.2    -6.2   -70.0    24.0   -47.0 
 Nondurables...............................  218.036   211.430   199.682   193.329     7.6    19.5     0.0   -38.2    13.4   -21.4 
 Services less rent of shelter (4).........  244.940   244.551   244.011   244.497     5.0    10.2     3.5    -0.7     7.6     1.4 
 Services less medical care services.......  242.484   242.544   242.606   242.888     3.4     6.1     2.8     0.7     4.8     1.7 
 Energy....................................  258.926   235.743   193.718   176.833     8.3    54.1    -4.1   -78.2    29.2   -54.3 
 All items less energy.....................  210.452   210.401   210.502   210.456     2.6     3.5     3.6     0.0     3.1     1.8 
  All items less food and energy...........  209.425   209.245   209.292   209.271     2.1     2.5     2.5    -0.3     2.3     1.1 
   Commodities less food and energy                                                                                                
       commodities.........................  141.581   140.817   140.339   139.862     0.6     0.0     1.3    -4.8     0.3    -1.8 
    Energy commodities.....................  322.124   277.981   199.208   166.824     5.5    70.2    -5.9   -92.8    34.0   -74.0 
   Services less energy services...........  257.459   257.744   258.206   258.546     2.7     3.6     3.1     1.7     3.2     2.4 

   1 Not seasonally adjusted.
   2 Indexes on a December 1997=100 base.
   3 This index series was calculated using a Laspeyres estimator.  All other item stratum index series were calculated using a
 geometric means estimator.
   4 Indexes on a December 1984=100 base
   5 Indexes on a December 1988=100 base.
   6 Indexes on a December 2007=100 base.
 NOTE:  Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.


 Table 6. Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W): Selected areas, all items index 

 (1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)
                                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                  
                                                                                   All items                                      
                                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                  
                                                                       Indexes                 Percent change to Percent change to
                    CPI-W                      Pricing                                          Dec.2008 from--   Nov.2008 from-- 
                                              schedule                                                                            
                                                 (1)      Sep.      Oct.      Nov.      Dec.                                      
                                                          2008      2008      2008      2008    Dec.  Oct.  Nov.  Nov.  Sep.  Oct.
                                                                                                2007  2008  2008  2007  2008  2008
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                  
 U.S. city average...........................    M      214.935   212.182   207.296   204.813  -0.5  -3.5  -1.2   0.7  -3.6  -2.3 
                                                                                                                                  
           Region and area size(2)                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                  
 Northeast urban.............................    M      229.949   227.762   223.741   221.446   0.6  -2.8  -1.0   1.8  -2.7  -1.8 
   Size A - More than 1,500,000..............    M      230.579   228.437   224.621   222.628   0.8  -2.5  -0.9   1.8  -2.6  -1.7 
   Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 (3)........    M      138.881   137.489   134.757   132.938   0.1  -3.3  -1.3   1.7  -3.0  -2.0 
                                                                                                                                  
 Midwest urban...............................    M      205.023   201.236   196.346   193.987  -0.8  -3.6  -1.2   0.1  -4.2  -2.4 
   Size A - More than 1,500,000..............    M      205.002   201.323   196.770   194.120  -0.9  -3.6  -1.3   0.2  -4.0  -2.3 
   Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 (3)........    M      134.215   131.699   128.186   127.005  -0.6  -3.6  -0.9   0.0  -4.5  -2.7 
   Size D -  Nonmetropolitan  (less than                                                                                          
       50,000)...............................    M      204.064   200.017   195.114   192.391  -0.9  -3.8  -1.4   0.1  -4.4  -2.5 
                                                                                                                                  
 South urban.................................    M      210.572   207.312   201.821   199.399  -0.7  -3.8  -1.2   0.5  -4.2  -2.6 
   Size A - More than 1,500,000..............    M      213.579   210.663   205.753   203.121  -0.6  -3.6  -1.3   0.9  -3.7  -2.3 
   Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 (3)........    M      134.285   132.017   128.504   127.055  -0.9  -3.8  -1.1   0.1  -4.3  -2.7 
   Size D -  Nonmetropolitan  (less than                                                                                          
       50,000)...............................    M      216.762   213.696   205.777   203.054  -0.1  -5.0  -1.3   1.4  -5.1  -3.7 
                                                                                                                                  
 West urban..................................    M      217.028   215.499   210.870   208.088  -0.7  -3.4  -1.3   0.6  -2.8  -2.1 
   Size A - More than 1,500,000..............    M      219.169   217.714   213.143   210.637  -0.2  -3.3  -1.2   0.9  -2.7  -2.1 
   Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 (3)........    M      134.873   133.694   130.684   128.641  -1.3  -3.8  -1.6   0.3  -3.1  -2.3 
                                                                                                                                  
                 Size classes                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                  
   A (4).....................................    M      198.842   196.590   192.508   190.272  -0.2  -3.2  -1.2   1.0  -3.2  -2.1 
   B/C (3)...................................    M      135.003   133.026   129.723   128.157  -0.8  -3.7  -1.2   0.4  -3.9  -2.5 
   D.........................................    M      210.844   208.028   202.041   199.228  -0.8  -4.2  -1.4   0.5  -4.2  -2.9 
                                                                                                                                  
           Selected local areas(5)                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                  
 Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI..............    M      209.084   206.772   202.022   198.434  -0.9  -4.0  -1.8   0.6  -3.4  -2.3 
 Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA.....    M      220.285   218.726   214.083   211.007  -0.6  -3.5  -1.4   0.6  -2.8  -2.1 
 New York-Northern N.J.-Long Island,                                                                                              
     NY-NJ-CT-PA.............................    M      234.703   232.778   228.727   227.223   1.5  -2.4  -0.7   2.2  -2.5  -1.7 
                                                                                                                                  
 Boston-Brockton-Nashua, MA-NH-ME-CT.........    1      238.133         -   231.854         -     -     -     -   0.6  -2.6     - 
 Cleveland-Akron, OH.........................    1      197.260         -   188.860         -     -     -     -   0.2  -4.3     - 
 Dallas-Fort Worth, TX.......................    1      209.666         -   201.479         -     -     -     -   1.5  -3.9     - 
 Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV (6).......    1      141.679         -   137.700         -     -     -     -   2.1  -2.8     - 
                                                                                                                                  
 Atlanta, GA.................................    2            -   205.236         -   195.310  -3.3  -4.8     -     -     -     - 
 Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, MI.................    2            -   200.570         -   192.808  -1.6  -3.9     -     -     -     - 
 Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX..............    2            -   190.600         -   183.088  -1.0  -3.9     -     -     -     - 
 Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL...................    2            -   222.038         -   215.867   0.1  -2.8     -     -     -     - 
 Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City,                                                                                           
     PA-NJ-DE-MD.............................    2            -   225.069         -   217.610  -0.5  -3.3     -     -     -     - 
 San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA..........    2            -   221.192         -   213.685  -0.2  -3.4     -     -     -     - 
 Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA................    2            -   220.687         -   216.424   1.1  -1.9     -     -     -     - 

   1 Areas on pricing schedule 2 (see Table 10) will appear next month. 
   2 Regions defined as the four Census regions.  See technical notes.
   3 Indexes on a December 1996=100 base.
   4 Indexes on a December 1986=100 base.
   5 In addition, the following metropolitan areas are published semiannually and appear in Tables 34 and 39 of the January and
 July issues of the CPI Detailed Report: Anchorage, AK; Cincinnati-Hamilton, OH-KY-IN; Denver-Boulder-Greeley, CO; Honolulu, HI;
 Kansas City, MO-KS; Milwaukee-Racine, WI; Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI; Phoenix-Mesa, AZ; Pittsburgh, PA; Portland-Salem, OR-WA;
 St. Louis, MO-IL; San Diego, CA; Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL.
   6 Indexes on a November 1996=100 base.
   - Data not available.
 NOTE:  Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.


 Table 7. Chained Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (C-CPI-U): U.S. city average, by
 expenditure category and commodity and service group

 (December 1999=100, unless otherwise noted)
                                                                                                  
                                                                                                  
                                                                                    Unadjusted    
                                                 Relative       Unadjusted      percent change to 
                                               importance,       indexes         Dec. 2008 from-  
                    C-CPI-U                     December                                          
                                                2005-2006                                         
                                                              Nov.      Dec.      Dec.      Nov.  
                                                              2008      2008      2007      2008  
                                                                                                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                  
             Expenditure category                                                                 
                                                                                                  
 All items....................................    100.000   122.284   120.661      -0.5      -1.3 
                                                                                                  
  Food and beverages..........................     14.726   128.500   128.540       5.7       0.0 
   Food.......................................     13.648   128.705   128.726       5.8       0.0 
    Food at home..............................      7.557   126.365   126.109       6.5      -0.2 
    Food away from home.......................      6.091   131.821   132.204       4.9       0.3 
   Alcoholic beverages........................      1.077   126.301   126.570       4.4       0.2 
                                                                                                  
  Housing.....................................     42.421   128.534   128.282       2.3      -0.2 
   Shelter....................................     32.409   130.457   130.217       1.9      -0.2 
   Fuels and utilities........................      5.004   159.272   158.615       6.0      -0.4 
   Household furnishings and operations.......      5.008    96.317    96.261       1.2      -0.1 
                                                                                                  
  Apparel.....................................      3.988    90.265    87.041      -1.3      -3.6 
                                                                                                  
  Transportation..............................     17.393   115.537   108.485     -14.2      -6.1 
   Private transportation.....................     16.285   115.410   108.078     -15.2      -6.4 
   Public transportation......................      1.108   119.644   116.826       1.6      -2.4 
                                                                                                  
  Medical care................................      6.085   142.633   142.838       2.5       0.1 
   Medical care commodities...................      1.615   125.920   126.353       1.4       0.3 
   Medical care services......................      4.470   148.889   148.995       2.9       0.1 
                                                                                                  
  Recreation..................................      5.935   105.962   105.412       0.7      -0.5 
                                                                                                  
  Education and communication.................      6.196   109.242   109.369       3.1       0.1 
   Education..................................      2.771   172.872   173.043       5.6       0.1 
   Communication..............................      3.425    74.111    74.208       1.1       0.1 
                                                                                                  
  Other goods and services....................      3.257   126.818   126.749       0.9      -0.1 
                                                                                                  
          Commodity and service group                                                             
                                                                                                  
 Services.....................................     58.427   132.999   132.849       2.7      -0.1 
 Commodities..................................     41.573   109.089   105.806      -5.0      -3.0 
  Durables....................................     11.817    81.481    81.153      -3.5      -0.4 
 Nondurables..................................     29.756   123.506   118.535      -5.6      -4.0 
  All items less food and energy..............     77.561   117.730   117.344       1.3      -0.3 
 Energy.......................................      8.790   160.638   142.000     -23.3     -11.6 

 Indexes for 2008 are initial estimates.  Indexes for 2007 are interim adjustments.
 NOTE: Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.


 Table 1A. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by
 expenditure category and commodity and service group

 (1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)
                                                                                              
                                                                                              
                                                              Annual      Annual     Percent  
                           CPI-U                             average     average      change  
                                                               2007        2008     from 2007 
                                                                                     to 2008  
                                                                                                                                                                                           
                                                                                              
                   Expenditure category                                                       
                                                                                              
 All items................................................    207.342     215.303         3.8 
 All items (1967=100).....................................    621.106     644.951           - 
                                                                                              
  Food and beverages......................................    203.300     214.225         5.4 
   Food...................................................    202.916     214.106         5.5 
    Food at home..........................................    201.245     214.125         6.4 
     Cereals and bakery products..........................    222.107     244.853        10.2 
     Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs.......................    195.616     204.653         4.6 
     Dairy and related products...........................    194.770     210.396         8.0 
     Fruits and vegetables................................    262.628     278.932         6.2 
     Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials........    153.432     160.045         4.3 
     Other food at home...................................    173.275     184.166         6.3 
      Sugar and sweets....................................    176.772     186.577         5.5 
      Fats and oils.......................................    172.921     196.751        13.8 
      Other foods.........................................    188.244     198.103         5.2 
       Other miscellaneous foods (1)......................    115.105     119.924         4.2 
    Food away from home...................................    206.659     215.769         4.4 
     Other food away from home (1)........................    144.068     150.640         4.6 
   Alcoholic beverages....................................    207.026     214.484         3.6 
                                                                                              
  Housing.................................................    209.586     216.264         3.2 
   Shelter................................................    240.611     246.666         2.5 
    Rent of primary residence.............................    234.679     243.271         3.7 
    Lodging away from home (1)............................    142.813     143.664          .6 
    Owners' equivalent rent of primary residence (2)......    246.235     252.426         2.5 
    Tenants' and household insurance (1)..................    117.004     118.843         1.6 
   Fuels and utilities....................................    200.632     220.018         9.7 
    Household energy......................................    181.744     200.808        10.5 
     Fuel oil and other fuels.............................    251.453     334.405        33.0 
     Gas (piped) and electricity..........................    186.262     202.212         8.6 
   Household furnishings and operations...................    126.875     127.800          .7 
                                                                                              
  Apparel.................................................    118.998     118.907         -.1 
   Men's and boys' apparel................................    112.368     113.032          .6 
   Women's and girls' apparel.............................    110.296     107.460        -2.6 
   Infants' and toddlers' apparel.........................    113.948     113.762         -.2 
   Footwear...............................................    122.374     124.157         1.5 
                                                                                              
  Transportation..........................................    184.682     195.549         5.9 
   Private transportation.................................    180.778     191.039         5.7 
    New and used motor vehicles (1).......................     94.303      93.291        -1.1 
     New vehicles.........................................    136.254     134.194        -1.5 
     Used cars and trucks.................................    135.747     133.951        -1.3 
    Motor fuel............................................    239.070     279.652        17.0 
     Gasoline (all types).................................    237.959     277.457        16.6 
    Motor vehicle parts and equipment.....................    121.583     128.747         5.9 
    Motor vehicle maintenance and repair..................    222.963     233.859         4.9 
   Public transportation..................................    230.002     250.549         8.9 
                                                                                              
  Medical care............................................    351.054     364.065         3.7 
   Medical care commodities...............................    289.999     296.045         2.1 
   Medical care services..................................    369.302     384.943         4.2 
    Professional services.................................    300.792     310.968         3.4 
    Hospital and related services.........................    498.922     533.953         7.0 
                                                                                              
  Recreation (1)..........................................    111.443     113.254         1.6 
   Video and audio (1)....................................    102.949     102.632         -.3 
                                                                                              
  Education and communication (1).........................    119.577     123.631         3.4 
   Education (1)..........................................    171.388     181.277         5.8 
    Educational books and supplies........................    420.418     450.187         7.1 
    Tuition, other school fees, and childcare.............    494.079     522.098         5.7 
   Communication (1)......................................     83.367      84.185         1.0 
    Information and information processing (1)............     80.720      81.352          .8 
     Telephone services (1)...............................     98.247     100.451         2.2 
     Information technology, hardware and services (3)....     10.597      10.061        -5.1 
      Personal computers and peripheral equipment (4).....    108.411      94.944       -12.4 
                                                                                              
  Other goods and services................................    333.328     345.381         3.6 
   Tobacco and smoking products...........................    554.184     588.682         6.2 
   Personal care..........................................    195.622     201.279         2.9 
    Personal care products................................    158.285     159.290          .6 
    Personal care services................................    216.559     223.669         3.3 
    Miscellaneous personal services.......................    324.984     338.921         4.3 
                                                                                              
                Commodity and service group                                                   
                                                                                              
 Commodities..............................................    167.509     174.764         4.3 
  Food and beverages......................................    203.300     214.225         5.4 
  Commodities less food and beverages.....................    147.515     153.034         3.7 
   Nondurables less food and beverages....................    182.526     196.192         7.5 
    Apparel...............................................    118.998     118.907         -.1 
    Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel.........    226.224     248.809        10.0 
   Durables...............................................    112.473     110.877        -1.4 
 Services.................................................    246.848     255.498         3.5 
  Rent of shelter (2).....................................    250.813     257.152         2.5 
  Transportation services.................................    233.731     244.074         4.4 
  Other services..........................................    285.559     295.780         3.6 
                                                                                              
                      Special indexes                                                         
                                                                                              
 All items less food......................................    208.098     215.528         3.6 
 All items less shelter...................................    196.639     205.453         4.5 
 All items less medical care..............................    200.080     207.777         3.8 
 Commodities less food....................................    149.720     155.310         3.7 
 Nondurables less food....................................    184.012     197.297         7.2 
 Nondurables less food and apparel........................    223.411     244.443         9.4 
 Nondurables..............................................    193.468     205.901         6.4 
 Services less rent of shelter (2)........................    260.764     273.000         4.7 
 Services less medical care services......................    236.847     244.987         3.4 
 Energy...................................................    207.723     236.666        13.9 
 All items less energy....................................    208.925     214.751         2.8 
  All items less food and energy..........................    210.729     215.572         2.3 
   Commodities less food and energy commodities...........    140.053     140.246          .1 
    Energy commodities....................................    241.018     284.352        18.0 
   Services less energy services..........................    253.058     261.017         3.1 
 Purchasing power of the consumer dollar (1982-84=$1.00)..     $ .482      $ .465           - 
 Purchasing power of the consumer dollar (1967=$1.00).....     $ .161      $ .155           - 

   1 Indexes on a December 1997=100 base.
   2 Indexes on a December 1982=100 base.
   3 Indexes on a December 1988=100 base.
   4 Indexes on a December 2007=100 base.
   - Data not available.


 Table 4A. Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W): U.S. city
 average, by expenditure category and commodity and service group

 (1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)
                                                                                              
                                                                                              
                                                              Annual      Annual     Percent  
                           CPI-W                             average     average      change  
                                                               2007        2008     from 2007 
                                                                                     to 2008  
                                                                                                                                                                                          
                                                                                              
                   Expenditure category                                                       
                                                                                              
 All items................................................    202.767     211.053         4.1 
 All items (1967=100).....................................    603.982     628.661           - 
                                                                                              
  Food and beverages......................................    202.531     213.546         5.4 
   Food...................................................    202.134     213.376         5.6 
    Food at home..........................................    200.273     213.017         6.4 
     Cereals and bakery products..........................    222.409     245.472        10.4 
     Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs.......................    195.193     204.255         4.6 
     Dairy and related products...........................    194.474     209.773         7.9 
     Fruits and vegetables................................    260.484     276.759         6.2 
     Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials........    152.786     159.324         4.3 
     Other food at home...................................    172.630     183.637         6.4 
      Sugar and sweets....................................    175.323     185.494         5.8 
      Fats and oils.......................................    173.640     197.512        13.7 
      Other foods.........................................    188.405     198.303         5.3 
       Other miscellaneous foods (1)......................    115.356     120.348         4.3 
    Food away from home...................................    206.412     215.613         4.5 
     Other food away from home (1)........................    143.462     149.731         4.4 
   Alcoholic beverages....................................    207.097     214.579         3.6 
                                                                                              
  Housing.................................................    204.795     211.839         3.4 
   Shelter................................................    232.998     239.128         2.6 
    Rent of primary residence.............................    233.806     242.196         3.6 
    Lodging away from home (1)............................    142.339     143.164          .6 
    Owners' equivalent rent of primary residence (2)......    223.175     228.758         2.5 
    Tenants' and household insurance (1)..................    117.366     119.136         1.5 
   Fuels and utilities....................................    198.863     217.883         9.6 
    Household energy......................................    179.031     197.537        10.3 
     Fuel oil and other fuels.............................    251.121     331.784        32.1 
     Gas (piped) and electricity..........................    184.357     200.265         8.6 
    Water and sewer and trash collection services (1).....    143.980     152.419         5.9 
   Household furnishings and operations...................    122.477     123.635          .9 
    Household operations (1)..............................    143.054     150.130         4.9 
                                                                                              
  Apparel.................................................    118.518     118.735          .2 
   Men's and boys' apparel................................    112.224     113.490         1.1 
   Women's and girls' apparel.............................    110.202     107.489        -2.5 
   Infants' and toddlers' apparel.........................    116.278     116.266          .0 
   Footwear...............................................    122.062     124.102         1.7 
                                                                                              
  Transportation..........................................    184.344     195.692         6.2 
   Private transportation.................................    181.496     192.492         6.1 
    New and used motor vehicles (1).......................     93.300      92.146        -1.2 
     New vehicles.........................................    137.415     135.338        -1.5 
     Used cars and trucks.................................    136.586     134.731        -1.4 
    Motor fuel............................................    239.900     280.817        17.1 
     Gasoline (all types).................................    238.879     278.728        16.7 
    Motor vehicle parts and equipment.....................    121.356     128.776         6.1 
    Motor vehicle maintenance and repair..................    225.535     236.353         4.8 
   Public transportation..................................    228.531     247.865         8.5 
                                                                                              
  Medical care............................................    350.882     364.208         3.8 
   Medical care commodities...............................    282.558     287.970         1.9 
   Medical care services..................................    370.111     386.317         4.4 
    Professional services.................................    303.169     313.446         3.4 
    Hospital and related services.........................    493.740     530.193         7.4 
                                                                                              
  Recreation (1)..........................................    108.572     110.143         1.4 
   Video and audio (1)....................................    102.559     102.654          .1 
                                                                                              
  Education and communication (1).........................    116.301     119.827         3.0 
   Education (1)..........................................    169.280     178.892         5.7 
    Educational books and supplies........................    423.730     452.880         6.9 
    Tuition, other school fees, and childcare.............    477.589     504.163         5.6 
   Communication (1)......................................     85.782      86.807         1.2 
    Information and information processing (1)............     83.928      84.828         1.1 
     Telephone services (1)...............................     98.373     100.502         2.2 
     Information technology, hardware and services (3)....     11.062      10.567        -4.5 
      Personal computers and peripheral equipment (4).....    108.164      94.863       -12.3 
                                                                                              
  Other goods and services................................    344.004     357.906         4.0 
   Tobacco and smoking products...........................    555.502     591.100         6.4 
   Personal care..........................................    193.590     199.170         2.9 
    Personal care products................................    158.268     159.410          .7 
    Personal care services................................    216.823     223.978         3.3 
    Miscellaneous personal services.......................    326.100     340.533         4.4 
                                                                                              
                Commodity and service group                                                   
                                                                                              
 Commodities..............................................    169.554     177.618         4.8 
  Food and beverages......................................    202.531     213.546         5.4 
  Commodities less food and beverages.....................    150.865     157.481         4.4 
   Nondurables less food and beverages....................    189.507     205.279         8.3 
    Apparel...............................................    118.518     118.735          .2 
    Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel.........    237.858     263.756        10.9 
   Durables...............................................    112.640     111.217        -1.3 
 Services.................................................    241.696     250.272         3.5 
  Rent of shelter (2).....................................    224.617     230.555         2.6 
  Tenants' and household insurance (1)....................    117.366     119.136         1.5 
  Gas (piped) and electricity.............................    184.357     200.265         8.6 
  Water and sewer and trash collection services (1).......    143.980     152.419         5.9 
  Household operations (1)................................    143.054     150.130         4.9 
  Transportation services.................................    233.420     242.563         3.9 
  Medical care services...................................    370.111     386.317         4.4 
  Other services..........................................    275.218     284.319         3.3 
                                                                                              
                      Special indexes                                                         
                                                                                              
 All items less food......................................    202.698     210.452         3.8 
 All items less shelter...................................    193.940     203.102         4.7 
 All items less medical care..............................    196.564     204.626         4.1 
 Commodities less food....................................    152.875     159.538         4.4 
 Nondurables less food....................................    190.698     206.047         8.0 
 Nondurables less food and apparel........................    234.201     258.423        10.3 
 Nondurables..............................................    196.772     210.333         6.9 
 Services less rent of shelter (2)........................    230.876     241.567         4.6 
 Services less medical care services......................    232.195     240.275         3.5 
 Energy...................................................    208.066     237.414        14.1 
 All items less energy....................................    203.002     208.719         2.8 
  All items less food and energy..........................    203.554     208.147         2.3 
   Commodities less food and energy commodities...........    140.612     141.084          .3 
    Energy commodities....................................    241.257     284.270        17.8 
   Services less energy services..........................    247.888     255.598         3.1 
 Purchasing power of the consumer dollar (1982-84=$1.00)..     $ .493      $ .474           - 
 Purchasing power of the consumer dollar (1967=$1.00).....     $ .166      $ .159           - 

   1 Indexes on a December 1997=100 base.
   2 Indexes on a December 1984=100 base
   3 Indexes on a December 1988=100 base.
   4 Indexes on a December 2007=100 base.
   - Data not available.

Last Modified Date: January 16, 2009