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News Release Information

15-1233-PHI
Thursday, June 18, 2015

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:

Consumer Price Index, Northeast Region – May 2015

Area prices up 0.4 percent over the month; down 0.3 percent over the year

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) in the Northeast increased 0.4 percent in May, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Sheila Watkins, the Bureau’s regional commissioner, noted that this was largely due to a 2.7-percent rise in the energy index. The all items less food and energy index and the food index also increased over the month, each edging up 0.2 percent. (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 Northeast all items CPI-U edged down 0.3 percent. (See chart 1 and table A.) The energy index fell 17.8 percent over the year, while the all items less food and energy index was 1.4 percent higher. Food prices also increased from May 2014, up 1.7 percent. (See table 1.)

Food

The food index edged up 0.2 percent in May, as food away from home prices increased 0.4 percent. Prices for food at home were unchanged since April.

From May 2014 to May 2015, the food index increased 1.7 percent. Food away from home prices rose 2.7 percent over the year and prices for food at home increased 1.1 percent.

Energy

The energy index, which includes prices for household and transportation fuels, increased 2.7 percent since April, due to a 10.0-percent rise in gasoline prices. The increase was moderated by decreases in both electricity and utility (piped) gas prices, down 3.6 and 1.6 percent, respectively.

The energy index fell 17.8 percent since May 2014.  The decrease was mostly due to a 26.9-percent drop in gasoline prices. Prices for utility (piped) gas service also dropped over the year, down 16.2 percent. The electricity index increased, up 0.2 percent over the year.

All items less food and energy

The index for all items less food and energy edged up 0.2 percent in May. Shelter prices rose 0.3 percent, led by a 0.2-percent rise in the owners’ equivalent rent of residences component. Prices were also higher for medical care (0.2 percent) and other goods and services (0.3 percent), among others. Moderating the overall increase in the all items less food and energy index were lower prices for household furnishings and operations and apparel, each down 0.5 percent.

Over the year, the index for all items less food and energy increased 1.4 percent, led by higher prices for shelter (2.0 percent), particularly owners’ equivalent rent of residences (2.0 percent). Prices were also higher for several other categories including medical care (3.1 percent), while prices for household furnishings and operations decreased (-0.8 percent).

 

Table A. Northeast region CPI-U 1-month and 12-month percent changes, all items index, not seasonally adjusted
Month20112012201320142015
1-month12-month1-month12-month1-month12-month1-month12-month1-month12-month

January

0.41.60.42.90.31.80.61.5-0.2-0.4

February

0.52.00.42.80.62.00.11.00.2-0.2

March

0.82.50.52.50.01.50.51.50.3-0.4

April

0.52.80.32.3-0.11.10.01.60.1-0.3

May

0.53.2-0.11.70.01.20.42.00.4-0.3

June

0.13.4-0.21.50.11.50.01.9  

July

0.23.6-0.11.10.21.80.11.8  

August

0.33.80.51.30.21.5-0.31.3  

September

0.14.00.51.70.11.10.01.2  

October

-0.13.60.11.9-0.40.7-0.21.4  

November

-0.13.2-0.21.80.11.0-0.40.9  

December

-0.32.9-0.31.80.01.3-0.50.4  

The Consumer Price Index for June 2015 is scheduled to be released Friday, July 17, 2015, 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 approximately 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: (800) 877-8339.

Table 1. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): Indexes and percent changes for selected periods, Northeast Region, (1982-84=100 unless otherwise noted) (not seasonally adjusted)
Expenditure categoryIndexesPercent change from
 
Historical
data
Mar.
2015
Apr.
2015
May
2015
May
2014
Mar.
2015
Apr.
2015

All items

Jump to page with historical data
251.451251.760252.770-0.30.50.4

All items (December 1977 = 100)

Jump to page with historical data
395.958396.445398.035   
 

Food and beverages

Jump to page with historical data
250.658250.844251.3561.70.30.2

Food

Jump to page with historical data
250.711251.004251.4571.70.30.2

Food at home

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248.385248.741248.8381.10.20.0

Food away from home

Jump to page with historical data
257.287257.490258.4772.70.50.4

Alcoholic beverages

Jump to page with historical data
248.785247.604248.8711.00.00.5
 

Housing

Jump to page with historical data
264.040264.249263.9980.70.0-0.1

Shelter

Jump to page with historical data
321.995322.783323.6122.00.50.3

Rent of primary residence (1)

Jump to page with historical data
322.538322.634323.7642.50.40.4

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

Jump to page with historical data
333.117334.155334.6722.00.50.2

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

Jump to page with historical data
332.929333.963334.4682.00.50.2

Fuels and utilities

Jump to page with historical data
220.864218.143213.340-6.6-3.4-2.2

Household energy

Jump to page with historical data
198.476195.470190.234-8.1-4.2-2.7

Energy services (1)

Jump to page with historical data
193.794193.183187.136-4.4-3.4-3.1

Electricity (1)

Jump to page with historical data
203.688205.243197.8060.2-2.9-3.6

Utility (piped) gas service (1)

Jump to page with historical data
159.589153.948151.500-16.2-5.1-1.6

Household furnishings and operations

Jump to page with historical data
124.224124.634123.998-0.8-0.2-0.5
 

Apparel

Jump to page with historical data
133.810132.034131.3210.5-1.9-0.5
 

Transportation

Jump to page with historical data
198.706199.572205.061-7.83.22.8

Private transportation

Jump to page with historical data
190.545191.261195.963-8.42.82.5

New and used motor vehicles (3)

Jump to page with historical data
98.19598.60198.504-0.40.3-0.1

New vehicles

Jump to page with historical data
145.298145.555145.3800.40.1-0.1

New cars and trucks (3) (4)

Jump to page with historical data
100.671100.850100.7430.40.1-0.1

New cars (4)

Jump to page with historical data
138.321138.111137.704-0.5-0.4-0.3

Used cars and trucks

Jump to page with historical data
154.140156.913157.983-0.62.50.7

Motor fuel

Jump to page with historical data
206.834207.583228.019-26.910.29.8

Gasoline (all types)

Jump to page with historical data
205.554206.474227.031-26.910.410.0

Gasoline, unleaded regular (4)

Jump to page with historical data
204.223205.052226.196-27.510.810.3

Gasoline, unleaded midgrade (4) (5)

Jump to page with historical data
215.109216.578235.448-25.59.58.7

Gasoline, unleaded premium (4)

Jump to page with historical data
208.923210.162227.283-24.58.88.1
 

Medical care

Jump to page with historical data
466.218468.386469.2613.10.70.2

Medical care commodities

Jump to page with historical data
378.847378.248377.6392.8-0.3-0.2

Medical care services

Jump to page with historical data
490.284493.380494.7573.20.90.3

Professional services

Jump to page with historical data
361.833361.375362.3592.70.10.3
 

Recreation (3)

Jump to page with historical data
120.624121.013121.2120.80.50.2
 

Education and communication (3)

Jump to page with historical data
137.729137.871137.9690.30.20.1
 

Other goods and services

Jump to page with historical data
445.092445.107446.5951.60.30.3
 

Commodity and service group

 

Commodities

Jump to page with historical data
188.161188.007189.705-3.50.80.9

Commodities less food and beverages

Jump to page with historical data
153.552153.257155.395-6.71.21.4

Nondurables less food and beverages

Jump to page with historical data
193.647192.195196.733-9.91.62.4

Durables

Jump to page with historical data
107.300108.036107.924-1.30.6-0.1

Services

Jump to page with historical data
312.989313.724314.1281.50.40.1
 

Special aggregate indexes

 

All items less shelter

Jump to page with historical data
227.463227.595228.684-1.50.50.5

All items less medical care

Jump to page with historical data
242.013242.245243.258-0.60.50.4

Commodities less food

Jump to page with historical data
157.049156.726158.846-6.41.11.4

Nondurables

Jump to page with historical data
222.240221.553224.220-4.10.91.2

Nondurables less food

Jump to page with historical data
196.843195.409199.746-9.11.52.2

Services less rent of shelter (2)

Jump to page with historical data
314.278314.968314.9060.90.20.0

Services less medical care services

Jump to page with historical data
300.717301.306301.6491.30.30.1

Energy

Jump to page with historical data
202.160200.716206.175-17.82.02.7

All items less energy

Jump to page with historical data
258.996259.490260.0491.50.40.2

All items less food and energy

Jump to page with historical data
262.145262.678263.2601.40.40.2

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, June 18, 2015