May 16, 2012 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Consumer prices increase 2.3 percent from April 2011 to April 2012

Percent change, April 2011–April 2012, and relative importance, March 2012, Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, by expenditure category
Expenditure category	Relative importance, March 2012	Percent change, April 2011–April 2012
All items	100.000	2.3
Housing	40.592	1.7
Transportation	17.577	2.9
Food and beverages	15.111	3.0
Medical care	7.047	3.4
Education and communication	6.712	2.0
Recreation	6.008	1.1
Apparel	3.612	5.1
Other goods and services	3.341	1.8

Business Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic
Looks at differences in private industry businesses' responses to COVID-19 across firm sizes.
Inflation Experiences for Lower and Higher Income Households Presents consumer price indexes for the lowest and highest household incomes to examine how different spending patterns change measures of inflation.
How the COVID-19 Pandemic Changed Urban and Rural Spending Habits
Explores how the COVID-19 pandemic influenced the spending behaviors of urban and rural consumers.
Workplace Injuries and Job Requirements for Construction Laborers
Examines typical physical requirements for construction laborers, exposures they experience on the job, and nonfatal and fatal injuries they incur.
Housing Leases in the U.S. Rental Market
Summarizes responses to two new survey questions about leasing.