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News Release Information

18-88-PHI
Friday, January 12, 2018

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:

Consumer Price Index, Northeast Region – December 2017

Regional prices up 0.1 percent over the month and 1.7 percent over the year

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) in the Northeast inched up 0.1 percent in December, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Sheila Watkins, the Bureau’s regional commissioner, noted that the energy index and food index both rose, up 0.4 percent and 0.2 percent, respectively. The all items less food and energy index was unchanged 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 1.7 percent, due mostly to an advance in the all items less food and energy index, up 1.1 percent. (See chart 1 and table A.) The energy index (8.3 percent) and the food index (2.0 percent) also increased over the year. (See table 1.)

Food

The food index edged up 0.2 percent since November. Prices for food at home and for food away from home also edged up 0.2 percent each.

From December 2016 to December 2017 the food index increased 2.0 percent, as prices for food away from home increased 2.6 percent and prices for food at home rose 1.6 percent.

Energy

The energy index, which includes prices for household and transportation fuels, increased 0.4 percent in December, due largely to a 1.9-percent increase in electricity prices. Prices were also higher for utility (piped) gas service, up 1.6 percent, while prices for gasoline decreased 1.6 percent.

The energy index advanced 8.3 percent since December 2016. The increase was mostly due to a 10.6-percent rise in gasoline prices. Prices also increased over the year for utility (piped) gas service (11.4 percent) and electricity (3.1 percent).

All items less food and energy

The index for all items less food and energy was unchanged over the month. Price increases for categories including shelter (0.3 percent) and new and used motor vehicles (1.1 percent) were offset by lower prices for apparel (-3.9 percent) and household furnishings and operations (-0.9 percent), among others.

The index for all items less food and energy increased 1.1 percent since December 2016, led by higher prices for shelter (1.8 percent) and medical care (2.6 percent), among others. Meanwhile, prices were lower for education and communication (-1.8 percent) and household furnishings and operations (-1.9 percent).

Table A. Northeast region CPI-U 1-month and 12-month percent changes, all items index, not seasonally adjusted
Month20132014201520162017
1-month12-month1-month12-month1-month12-month1-month12-month1-month12-month

January

0.31.80.61.5-0.2-0.40.00.70.62.5

February

0.62.00.11.00.2-0.20.20.70.32.6

March

0.01.50.51.50.3-0.40.20.6-0.12.2

April

-0.11.10.01.60.1-0.30.61.00.31.9

May

0.01.20.42.00.4-0.30.30.90.11.7

June

0.11.50.01.90.30.00.20.70.01.5

July

0.21.80.11.8-0.1-0.20.00.8-0.21.3

August

0.21.5-0.31.3-0.2-0.10.11.00.31.6

September

0.11.10.01.20.0-0.10.21.30.51.9

October

-0.40.7-0.21.4-0.2-0.10.21.6-0.11.5

November

0.11.0-0.40.90.00.30.01.60.01.6

December

0.01.3-0.50.4-0.40.50.01.90.11.7

The Consumer Price Index for January 2018 is scheduled to be released Wednesday, February 14, 2018, 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
Oct.
2017
Nov.
2017
Dec.
2017
Dec.
2016
Oct.
2017
Nov.
2017

All items

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0
260.580260.630260.7911.70.10.1

All items (December 1977 = 100)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100AA0
410.333410.412410.666   
 

Food and beverages

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF
256.563256.073256.4871.90.00.2

Food

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF1
256.711256.209256.7642.00.00.2

Food at home

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF11
247.077245.920246.4241.6-0.30.2

Food away from home

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEFV
274.502275.002275.6442.60.40.2

Alcoholic beverages

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF116
253.444253.128251.7110.3-0.7-0.6
 

Housing

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAH
276.180276.736277.6931.90.50.3

Shelter

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAH1
343.253343.275344.2821.80.30.3

Rent of primary residence(1)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHA
345.343346.118346.9202.20.50.2

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

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHC
354.918355.348356.2551.60.40.3

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

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHC01
354.668355.098356.0081.60.40.3

Fuels and utilities

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAH2
215.579220.163223.6885.83.81.6

Household energy

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAH21
189.929194.829198.7096.64.62.0

Energy services(1)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHF
189.023193.258196.7355.44.11.8

Electricity(1)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHF01
196.026195.921199.6363.11.81.9

Utility (piped) gas service(1)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHF02
160.823173.984176.71211.49.91.6

Household furnishings and operations

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAH3
119.146118.572117.530-1.9-1.4-0.9
 

Apparel

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAA
135.953129.241124.143-1.9-8.7-3.9
 

Transportation

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAT
201.313202.467202.3782.90.50.0

Private transportation

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAT1
193.233194.728195.1383.31.00.2

New and used motor vehicles(3)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SETA
94.08294.74495.7520.61.81.1

New vehicles

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SETA01
143.005144.217145.9870.72.11.2

New cars and trucks(3)(4)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SS4501A
99.06499.909101.1440.72.11.2

New cars(4)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SS45011
132.485133.886135.7400.22.51.4

Used cars and trucks

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SETA02
140.983140.030141.272-1.60.20.9

Motor fuel

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SETB
221.266223.902220.32910.7-0.4-1.6

Gasoline (all types)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SETB01
220.348222.946219.33210.6-0.5-1.6

Gasoline, unleaded regular(4)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SS47014
217.932220.589216.78610.8-0.5-1.7

Gasoline, unleaded midgrade(4)(5)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SS47015
232.640235.207233.18710.00.2-0.9

Gasoline, unleaded premium(4)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SS47016
228.241230.205227.8769.5-0.2-1.0
 

Medical care

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAM
498.337498.864499.7652.60.30.2

Medical care commodities

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAM1
386.879387.946388.5221.20.40.1

Medical care services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAM2
530.290530.627531.6273.00.30.2

Professional services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEMC
378.068377.680378.1791.30.00.1
 

Recreation(3)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAR
123.350123.233123.4661.50.10.2
 

Education and communication(3)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAE
140.030140.409140.206-1.80.1-0.1
 

Other goods and services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAG
480.564480.950480.8732.60.10.0
 

Commodity and service group

 

Commodities

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAC
188.237187.525186.9041.5-0.7-0.3

Commodities less food and beverages

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SACL11
151.077150.311149.3011.2-1.2-0.7

Nondurables less food and beverages

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SANL11
196.489194.777192.3192.6-2.1-1.3

Durables

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAD
101.260101.303101.516-0.90.30.2

Services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAS
330.424331.150332.0061.80.50.3
 

Special aggregate indexes

 

All items less shelter

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0L2
232.142232.203232.0541.60.0-0.1

All items less medical care

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0L5
250.134250.163250.2911.60.10.1

Commodities less food

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SACL1
154.785154.027153.0011.1-1.2-0.7

Nondurables

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAN
226.596225.444224.3182.2-1.0-0.5

Nondurables less food

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SANL1
199.806198.177195.7812.4-2.0-1.2

Services less rent of shelter(2)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SASL2RS
328.034329.515330.3021.80.70.2

Services less medical care services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SASL5
316.652317.401318.2471.70.50.3

Energy

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0E
202.610206.616207.5388.32.40.4

All items less energy

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0LE
269.155268.806268.8921.2-0.10.0

All items less food and energy

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0L1E
273.082272.756272.7641.1-0.10.0

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: Friday, January 12, 2018