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News Release Information

14-2147-PHI
Thursday, November 20, 2014

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:

Consumer Price Index, Northeast Region - October 2014

Regional Prices Down 0.2 Percent Over the Month; Up 1.4 Percent Over the Year

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) in the Northeast declined 0.2 percent in October, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. A 3.6-percent decline in the energy index since September was moderated by increases in the all items less food and energy index and the food index, up 0.2 and 0.1 percent, respectively. (Data in this report are not seasonally adjusted. Accordingly, month-to-month changes may reflect the impact of seasonal influences.) 

Over the last 12 months, the CPI-U increased 1.4 percent, due mainly to an advance in the all items less food and energy index, up 1.6 percent. (See chart 1 and table A.) The food index also rose since October 2013, up 2.8 percent, while the energy index declined 2.7 percent. (See table 1.)

Food

Over the month, food prices inched up 0.1 percent, as both components of the index increased. Prices for the food away from home component edged up 0.2 percent and those for food at home rose 0.1 percent.

Over the year, the food index advanced 2.8 percent. Prices were higher for both the food at home and food away from home components, up 2.8 and 2.9 percent, respectively, since October 2013.

Energy

The energy index, which includes prices for household and transportation fuels, declined for the fifth consecutive month, down 8.9 percent since May and 3.6 percent since September.  The one-month decrease was due mostly to a 5.1-percent decline in gasoline prices. Prices were also lower for electricity (-1.6 percent) and utility (piped) gas service (-2.7 percent) in October.

Energy prices declined over the year, down 2.7 percent, mainly reflecting a 4.3-percent decrease in gasoline prices. Utility (piped) gas service prices were also lower since October 2013, down 7.2 percent—the largest decrease in two years; electricity prices rose 3.0 percent over the year.

All items less food and energy

The index for all items less food and energy edged up 0.2 percent over the month, led by a 0.2-percent increase in shelter prices. Higher prices for apparel (0.7 percent), among others, also contributed to the advance.  Price declines for used cars and trucks (-2.1 percent) and education and communication (-0.4 percent) moderated the rise in the all items less food and energy index since September.

The all items less food and energy index rose 1.6 percent over the year. The advance primarily reflected a 2.6-percent increase in prices for shelter. Additionally, increases in the medical care index (2.0 percent) and several others were moderated by decreases in the indexes for household furnishings and operations (-0.7 percent) and recreation (-0.4 percent).

 

Table A. Northeast region CPI-U 1-month and 12-month percent changes, all items index (not seasonally adjusted)
Month200920102011201220132014
1-month12-month1-month12-month1-month12-month1-month12-month1-month12-month1-month12-month

January

0.20.50.43.00.41.60.42.90.31.80.61.5

February

0.60.70.02.50.52.00.42.80.62.00.11.0

March

0.20.20.32.60.82.50.52.50.01.50.51.5

April

0.2-0.10.22.50.52.80.32.3-0.11.10.01.6

May

0.1-0.80.22.60.53.2-0.11.70.01.20.42.0

June

0.8-1.2-0.11.70.13.4-0.21.50.11.50.01.9

July

0.1-1.90.01.60.23.6-0.11.10.21.80.11.8

August

0.3-1.20.11.40.33.80.51.30.21.5-0.31.3

September

0.1-0.7-0.11.20.14.00.51.70.11.10.01.2

October

0.00.20.31.5-0.13.60.11.9-0.40.7-0.21.4

November

0.22.00.21.5-0.13.20.21.80.11.0  

December

-0.12.80.01.6-0.32.9-0.31.80.01.3  

The November 2014 Consumer Price Index for the Northeast region is scheduled to be released on December 17, 2014, at 8:30 a.m. (ET).


Technical Note

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is a measure of the average change in prices over time in a fixed market basket of goods and services. The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes CPIs for two population groups: (1) a CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) which covers approximately 89 percent of the total population and (2) a CPI for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) which covers 28 percent of the total population. The CPI-U includes, in addition to wage earners and clerical workers, 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 CPI is based on prices of food, clothing, shelter, and fuels, transportation fares, charges for doctors’ and dentists’ services, drugs, and the other goods and services that people buy for day-to-day living. Each month, prices are collected in 87 urban areas across the country from about 4,000 housing units and approximately 26,000 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.

The index measures price changes from a designated reference date (1982-84) that equals 100.0. An increase of 16.5 percent, 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 see the CPI home page on the Internet at www.bls.gov/cpi and the BLS Handbook of Methods, Chapter 17, The Consumer Price Index, available on the Internet at www.bls.gov/opub/hom/cpi/.

In calculating the index, price changes for the various items in each location are averaged together with weights that represent their importance in the spending of the appropriate population group. Local data are then combined to obtain a U.S. city average. Because the sample size of a local area is smaller, the local area index is subject to substantially more sampling and other measurement error than the national index. In addition, local indexes are not adjusted for seasonal influences. As a result, local area indexes show greater volatility than the national index, although their long-term trends are quite similar. NOTE: Area indexes do not measure differences in the level of prices between cities; they only measure the average change in prices for each area since the base period.

The Northeast region is comprised of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: 202-691-5200; Federal Relay Service:  1-800-877-8339.

Table 1. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): Indexes and percent changes for selected periods

Northeast (1982-84=100 unless otherwise noted)
Expenditure categoryIndexesPercent change from
 
Historical
data
Aug.
2014
Sep.
2014
Oct.
2014
Oct.
2013
Aug.
2014
Sep.
2014

All items

Jump to page with historical data
253.185253.154252.7301.4-0.2-0.2

All items (December 1977 = 100)

Jump to page with historical data
398.688398.640397.972   
 

Food and beverages

Jump to page with historical data
248.184249.219249.5052.70.50.1

Food

Jump to page with historical data
248.085249.189249.5572.80.60.1

Food at home

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245.799247.131247.3582.80.60.1

Food away from home

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254.568255.348255.9292.90.50.2

Alcoholic beverages

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248.276248.417247.6641.0-0.2-0.3
 

Housing

Jump to page with historical data
262.659262.092261.9382.0-0.3-0.1

Shelter

Jump to page with historical data
318.800318.842319.3962.60.20.2

Rent of primary residence (1)

Jump to page with historical data
318.041318.594319.0982.50.30.2

Owners' equivalent rent of residences (1) (2)

Jump to page with historical data
329.624330.115330.3972.30.20.1

Owners' equivalent rent of primary residence (1) (2)

Jump to page with historical data
329.482329.971330.2502.20.20.1

Fuels and utilities

Jump to page with historical data
225.661221.569217.529-0.3-3.6-1.8

Household energy

Jump to page with historical data
203.648199.225194.932-0.9-4.3-2.2

Energy services (1)

Jump to page with historical data
193.235188.904185.3380.0-4.1-1.9

Electricity (1)

Jump to page with historical data
199.230194.473191.3983.0-3.9-1.6

Utility (piped) gas service (1)

Jump to page with historical data
168.181165.094160.580-7.2-4.5-2.7

Household furnishings and operations

Jump to page with historical data
124.391124.274124.555-0.70.10.2
 

Apparel

Jump to page with historical data
129.552134.297135.2621.24.40.7
 

Transportation

Jump to page with historical data
217.996215.981213.407-0.6-2.1-1.2

Private transportation

Jump to page with historical data
210.969208.854205.838-0.5-2.4-1.4

New and used motor vehicles (3)

Jump to page with historical data
98.96798.45698.143-0.3-0.8-0.3

New vehicles

Jump to page with historical data
144.379144.073144.3450.60.00.2

New cars and trucks (3) (4)

Jump to page with historical data
100.01699.80599.9970.60.00.2

New cars (4)

Jump to page with historical data
137.473136.765137.102-0.7-0.30.2

Used cars and trucks

Jump to page with historical data
160.768158.793155.450-0.9-3.3-2.1

Motor fuel

Jump to page with historical data
297.424289.733275.024-4.4-7.5-5.1

Gasoline (all types)

Jump to page with historical data
296.181288.488273.775-4.3-7.6-5.1

Gasoline, unleaded regular (4)

Jump to page with historical data
296.513288.556273.259-4.6-7.8-5.3

Gasoline, unleaded midgrade (4) (5)

Jump to page with historical data
304.395297.328283.490-3.5-6.9-4.7

Gasoline, unleaded premium (4)

Jump to page with historical data
289.786283.400270.987-3.4-6.5-4.4
 

Medical care

Jump to page with historical data
455.688457.252457.8762.00.50.1

Medical care commodities

Jump to page with historical data
371.018373.091373.2771.90.60.0

Medical care services

Jump to page with historical data
478.958480.327481.0942.10.40.2

Professional services

Jump to page with historical data
353.313354.163355.0241.00.50.2
 

Recreation (3)

Jump to page with historical data
119.552119.424119.389-0.4-0.10.0
 

Education and communication (3)

Jump to page with historical data
138.465138.767138.2580.2-0.1-0.4
 

Other goods and services

Jump to page with historical data
440.729442.129444.7672.00.90.6
 

Commodity and service group

 

Commodities

Jump to page with historical data
195.065195.291194.1390.4-0.5-0.6

Commodities less food and beverages

Jump to page with historical data
164.205164.073162.349-1.1-1.1-1.1

Nondurables less food and beverages

Jump to page with historical data
214.094214.409211.218-1.0-1.3-1.5

Durables

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108.628108.116107.800-1.2-0.8-0.3

Services

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310.073309.809310.0371.90.00.1
 

Special aggregate indexes

 

All items less shelter

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231.075231.017230.2200.7-0.4-0.3

All items less medical care

Jump to page with historical data
244.248244.152243.6851.3-0.2-0.2

Commodities less food

Jump to page with historical data
167.405167.281165.581-1.0-1.1-1.0

Nondurables

Jump to page with historical data
231.993232.652231.0820.9-0.4-0.7

Nondurables less food

Jump to page with historical data
216.014216.318213.275-0.9-1.3-1.4

Services less rent of shelter (2)

Jump to page with historical data
311.577310.975310.8451.2-0.20.0

Services less medical care services

Jump to page with historical data
298.323297.963298.1571.9-0.10.1

Energy

Jump to page with historical data
242.939237.149228.510-2.7-5.9-3.6

All items less energy

Jump to page with historical data
256.702257.267257.6901.80.40.2

All items less food and energy

Jump to page with historical data
259.895260.369260.8041.60.30.2

Footnotes
(1) This index series was calculated using a Laspeyres estimator. All other item stratum index series were calculated using a geometric means estimator.
(2) Indexes on a December 1982=100 base.
(3) Indexes on a December 1997=100 base.
(4) Special index based on a substantially smaller sample.
(5) Indexes on a December 1993=100 base.
 

Note: Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.
 

 

Last Modified Date: Thursday, November 20, 2014