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News Release Information

16-2352-PHI
Thursday, December 15, 2016

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:

Consumer Price Index, Northeast Region – November 2016

Regional prices unchanged over the month and up 1.6 percent over the year

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) in the Northeast was unchanged in November, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Sheila Watkins, the Bureau’s regional commissioner, noted that a 1.4-percent increase in the energy index was offset by a 0.1-percent decrease in the all items less food and energy index and a 0.2-percent decline in the food index over the month. (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 increased 1.6 percent, due almost entirely to a 1.8-percent advance in the all items less food and energy index. (See chart 1 and table A.) The energy index also increased, up 1.7 percent, while the food index inched down 0.1 percent. (See table 1.)

Food

The food index edged down 0.2 percent since October. Prices for food at home declined 0.5 percent, while prices for food away from home inched up 0.1 percent over the month. 

From November 2015 to November 2016, the food index declined 0.1 percent, as a 2.0-percent decrease in prices for food at home was nearly offset by a 2.7-percent increase in those for food away from home.

Energy

The energy index, which includes prices for household and transportation fuels, increased 1.4 percent since October, led by a 2.5-percent rise in gasoline prices. Prices for utility (piped) gas service also increased over the month, up 4.2 percent, while electricity prices declined 0.4 percent. 

The energy index increased 1.7 percent since November 2015, led by a 4.3-percent increase in gasoline prices. Prices for utility (piped) gas service also increased over the year, up 3.2 percent, while prices decreased for electricity, down 0.8 percent.

All items less food and energy

The index for all items less food and energy inched down 0.1 percent over the month, led by a seasonal decrease in apparel prices (-4.1 percent). Prices for new and used motor vehicles also decreased, down 0.9 percent over the month. These and other decreases were moderated by a 0.2-percent increase in shelter prices.

The index for all items less food and energy increased 1.8 percent since November 2015, led by higher prices for shelter (3.1 percent). Prices were also higher over the year for several categories including medical care (3.5 percent).

Table A. Northeast region CPI-U 1-month and 12-month percent changes, all items index, not seasonally adjusted
Month20122013201420152016
1-month12-month1-month12-month1-month12-month1-month12-month1-month12-month

January

0.42.90.31.80.61.5-0.2-0.40.00.7

February

0.42.80.62.00.11.00.2-0.20.20.7

March

0.52.50.01.50.51.50.3-0.40.20.6

April

0.32.3-0.11.10.01.60.1-0.30.61.0

May

-0.11.70.01.20.42.00.4-0.30.30.9

June

-0.21.50.11.50.01.90.30.00.20.7

July

-0.11.10.21.80.11.8-0.1-0.20.00.8

August

0.51.30.21.5-0.31.3-0.2-0.10.11.0

September

0.51.70.11.10.01.20.0-0.10.21.3

October

0.11.9-0.40.7-0.21.4-0.2-0.10.21.6

November

-0.21.80.11.0-0.40.90.00.30.01.6

December

-0.31.80.01.3-0.50.4-0.40.5  

The Consumer Price Index for December 2016 is scheduled to be released Wednesday, January 18, 2017, 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/pdf/homch17.pdf.

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
Sep.
2016
Oct.
2016
Nov.
2016
Nov.
2015
Sep.
2016
Oct.
2016

All items

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0
256.085256.605256.5411.60.20.0

All items (December 1977 = 100)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100AA0
403.256404.075403.973   
 

Food and beverages

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF
252.703252.757252.1540.0-0.2-0.2

Food

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF1
252.651252.692252.075-0.1-0.2-0.2

Food at home

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF11
244.649244.455243.192-2.0-0.6-0.5

Food away from home

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEFV
267.880268.284268.6572.70.30.1

Alcoholic beverages

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF116
252.193252.416251.9881.2-0.1-0.2
 

Housing

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAH
270.956271.486271.9392.30.40.2

Shelter

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAH1
336.165337.408338.1153.10.60.2

Rent of primary residence(1)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHA
336.255337.863338.4692.70.70.2

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

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHC
347.977349.352350.3173.10.70.3

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

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHC01
347.698349.062350.0273.10.70.3

Fuels and utilities

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAH2
209.038207.521208.7070.6-0.20.6

Household energy

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAH21
184.037182.415183.5140.1-0.30.6

Energy services(1)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHF
186.718183.315184.8050.3-1.00.8

Electricity(1)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHF01
198.193193.371192.593-0.8-2.8-0.4

Utility (piped) gas service(1)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHF02
149.177149.029155.2363.24.14.2

Household furnishings and operations

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAH3
120.761120.438119.519-2.9-1.0-0.8
 

Apparel

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAA
136.636137.452131.7860.8-3.5-4.1
 

Transportation

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAT
194.673195.764196.3990.60.90.3

Private transportation

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAT1
186.546187.453188.0611.10.80.3

New and used motor vehicles(3)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SETA
96.36496.30395.391-1.9-1.0-0.9

New vehicles

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SETA01
145.498146.020145.323-0.1-0.1-0.5

New cars and trucks(3)(4)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SS4501A
100.799101.159100.677-0.1-0.1-0.5

New cars(4)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SS45011
136.312137.127136.450-0.60.1-0.5

Used cars and trucks

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SETA02
149.137146.400144.118-3.9-3.4-1.6

Motor fuel

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SETB
186.738190.178194.8894.34.42.5

Gasoline (all types)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SETB01
185.974189.394194.1194.34.42.5

Gasoline, unleaded regular(4)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SS47014
183.112186.638191.3184.54.52.5

Gasoline, unleaded midgrade(4)(5)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SS47015
201.184203.945208.4143.83.62.2

Gasoline, unleaded premium(4)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SS47016
198.018200.670205.6023.53.82.5
 

Medical care

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAM
488.584488.866488.4523.50.0-0.1

Medical care commodities

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAM1
391.669391.216388.1074.5-0.9-0.8

Medical care services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAM2
515.694516.222516.7333.20.20.1

Professional services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEMC
373.646372.793373.2551.6-0.10.1
 

Recreation(3)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAR
121.237121.178121.5680.90.30.3
 

Education and communication(3)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAE
142.021142.152142.2210.50.10.0
 

Other goods and services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAG
467.312468.052468.9862.80.40.2
 

Commodity and service group

 

Commodities

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAC
185.596185.898184.812-0.2-0.4-0.6

Commodities less food and beverages

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SACL11
149.063149.451148.224-0.4-0.6-0.8

Nondurables less food and beverages

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SANL11
188.047189.667188.2501.70.1-0.7

Durables

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAD
104.437103.829102.868-3.1-1.5-0.9

Services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAS
324.190324.914325.7512.50.50.3
 

Special aggregate indexes

 

All items less shelter

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0L2
228.569228.826228.4770.80.0-0.2

All items less medical care

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0L5
245.872246.403246.3541.40.20.0

Commodities less food

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SACL1
152.782153.167151.956-0.3-0.5-0.8

Nondurables

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAN
220.237221.134220.0880.8-0.1-0.5

Nondurables less food

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SANL1
191.794193.330191.9731.70.1-0.7

Services less rent of shelter(2)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SASL2RS
322.581322.767323.7721.80.40.3

Services less medical care services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SASL5
310.978311.713312.5702.40.50.3

Energy

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0E
185.329185.717188.2531.71.61.4

All items less energy

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0LE
265.904266.443266.1151.60.1-0.1

All items less food and energy

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0L1E
269.946270.572270.2901.80.1-0.1

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, December 15, 2016