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News Release Information

15-1594-KAN
Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:
  • (816) 285-7000

Consumer Price Index, Midwest Region – July 2015

Prices in the Midwest unchanged in July but 0.5 percent lower over the year

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) in the Midwest was unchanged in July, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Energy costs were 0.7 percent lower, food prices rose 0.3 percent, and the index for all items less food and energy was unchanged.

The CPI-U for the Midwest declined 0.5 percent from July 2014 to July 2015, the seventh consecutive month of over-the-year decline. Food prices increased 1.4 percent and the energy index, which includes motor fuel and household fuels, fell 15.6 percent. Excluding food and energy, the CPI-U rose 1.2 percent over the year. (See chart 1.)

Food

Food prices in the Midwest rose 0.3 percent in July. Higher costs for food at home (0.4 percent) were largely responsible for the monthly advance, while prices for food away from home were little changed (0.1 percent).

From July 2014 to July 2015, the index for food was up 1.4 percent led by a 3.2-percent rise in costs for food away from home. Prices for food at home contributed to the increase with a gain of 0.3 percent. The 12-month percent change in the food index has remained below 2.0 percent since March 2015.

Energy

The energy index for the Midwest turned down 0.7 percent in July following increases of 4.3 and 5.9 percent, respectively, in May and June. The monthly decrease in energy costs was largely attributable to a 1.7-percent decline in motor fuel prices. Costs for utility (piped) gas service were 0.3 percent lower, but prices for electricity were up 0.8 percent over the month.

The index for energy fell 15.6 percent from July 2014 to July 2015, led by a drop of 23.0 percent in motor fuel prices. Costs for utility (piped) gas service were 20.8 percent lower over the year, while electricity prices rose 1.5 percent.

All items less food and energy

The index for all items less food and energy for the Midwest was unchanged in July due to offsetting movements. Expenditure categories registering higher prices over the month included shelter (0.2 percent) and household furnishings and operations (0.2 percent). In contrast, apparel (-1.6 percent) and new vehicles (-0.8 percent) were among the expenditure categories posting lower prices over the month.

The index for all items less food and energy increased 1.2 percent from July 2014 to July 2015. Higher costs for shelter (2.3 percent) and medical care services (1.9 percent) led the advance.

The Midwest Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) stood at 225.853 in July 2015. A typical market basket of goods and services that cost $100.00 in the 1982-84 base period cost $225.85 in July 2015. Because regional CPI data are not adjusted for seasonal price variation, consumers and businesses should be cautious in drawing conclusions about long-term retail price trends from short-term changes in the regional indexes.

CPI-W

In July, the Midwest Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) was 221.136, unchanged over the month. The CPI-W decreased 0.9 percent over the year.

Table A. Midwest 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

0.51.90.62.80.11.30.51.4-0.6-0.3

February

0.32.20.22.71.12.20.60.90.3-0.5

March

0.92.71.02.80.21.40.91.50.6-0.9

April

0.73.30.22.3-0.11.20.31.90.1-1.1

May

0.63.8-0.11.50.51.80.21.60.4-0.8

June

0.03.9-0.11.40.32.20.51.70.5-0.7

July

0.13.80.01.3-0.41.8-0.31.80.0-0.5

August

0.23.80.71.80.11.2-0.21.6  

September

0.23.90.31.90.11.00.11.6  

October

-0.63.3-0.32.2-0.50.8-0.51.6  

November

0.03.3-0.41.8-0.21.0-0.61.2  

December

-0.22.8-0.21.8-0.21.0-0.70.7  

The August 2015 Consumer Price Index for the Midwest region is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, September 16, 2015.


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 6,000 housing units and approximately 24,000 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 areas; they only measure the average change in prices for each area since the base period.

The Midwest region is comprised of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.

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

Midwest (1982-84=100 unless otherwise noted)
Item and Group

 
Indexes
 
Percent change from-
May
2015
Jun.
2015
Jul.
2015
Jul.
2014
May
2015
Jun.
2015

Expenditure category

 
 

All Items

224.732225.946225.853-0.50.50.0

All items (December 1977=100)

365.651367.626367.476   

Food and beverages

238.696238.920239.5161.40.30.2

Food

238.255238.608239.2661.40.40.3

Food at home

228.729229.000229.9360.30.50.4

Food away from home

254.137254.629254.8113.20.30.1

Alcoholic beverages

242.664240.891240.5120.1-0.9-0.2

Housing

211.741213.493213.9221.01.00.2

Shelter

248.321249.241249.6762.30.50.2

Rent of primary residence (1)

246.387247.299247.7402.90.50.2

Owners' equiv. rent of residences (1) (2)

251.641252.331252.6852.10.40.1

Owners' equiv. rent of primary residence (1) (2)

251.641252.330252.6822.10.40.1

Fuels and utilities

211.508221.159221.893-4.34.90.3

Household energy

175.274185.200185.829-6.56.00.3

Energy services (1)

182.188193.394194.343-5.86.70.5

Electricity (1)

198.864213.888215.6251.58.40.8

Utility (piped) gas service (1)

144.084147.891147.374-20.82.3-0.3

Household furnishings and operations

116.649115.959116.212-0.9-0.40.2

Apparel

117.773117.176115.350-3.5-2.1-1.6

Transportation

203.114206.151204.646-7.10.8-0.7

Private transportation

196.924200.113199.095-7.31.1-0.5

New and used motor vehicles (3)

100.403100.227100.084-0.3-0.3-0.1

New vehicles

140.597140.386139.2490.1-1.0-0.8

New cars and trucks (3) (4)

99.49399.34498.6310.3-0.9-0.7

New cars (4)

137.163136.802135.5120.0-1.2-0.9

Used cars and trucks

151.090151.403151.545-1.70.30.1

Motor fuel

236.460250.761246.592-23.04.3-1.7

Gasoline (all types)

235.103249.457245.326-23.04.3-1.7

Gasoline, unleaded regular (4)

231.520245.828241.386-23.54.3-1.8

Gasoline, Unleaded midgrade (4) (5)

264.781279.299275.548-22.34.1-1.3

Gasoline, unleaded premium (4)

242.260256.392254.579-19.65.1-0.7

Medical Care

452.171451.389451.3312.2-0.20.0

Medical care commodities

368.131367.148366.0162.9-0.6-0.3

Medical care services

480.167479.474479.8401.9-0.10.1

Professional services

392.239391.390391.9441.2-0.10.1

Recreation (3)

117.763117.747117.6850.0-0.1-0.1

Education and communication (3)

139.344139.146139.346-0.30.00.1

Other goods and services

400.002401.123401.4931.80.40.1
 

Commodity and Service Group

 
 

All Items

224.732225.946225.853-0.50.50.0

Commodities

179.851180.816180.282-3.30.2-0.3

Commodities less food & beverages

150.980152.236151.238-6.10.2-0.7

Nondurables less food & beverages

194.055197.117195.228-9.00.6-1.0

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel

244.031249.450247.507-10.51.4-0.8

Durables

108.192107.836107.646-1.2-0.5-0.2

Services

271.206272.677273.0221.40.70.1

Rent of shelter (2)

255.013255.972256.4232.30.60.2

Transportation services

295.699294.771294.2092.6-0.5-0.2

Other services

327.143326.963327.0620.70.00.0
 

Special aggregate indexes:

 
 

All items less medical care

213.968215.276215.182-0.80.60.0

All items less food

222.434223.788223.573-0.80.5-0.1

All items less shelter

218.520219.859219.567-1.60.5-0.1

Commodities less food

153.930155.115154.128-5.90.1-0.6

Nondurables

216.255217.991217.267-3.90.5-0.3

Nondurables less food

196.681199.498197.685-8.50.5-0.9

Nondurables less food and apparel

242.658247.464245.659-9.81.2-0.7

Services less rent of shelter (2)

304.728306.867307.1090.60.80.1

Services less medical care services

255.609257.225257.5671.30.80.1

Energy

202.549214.413212.965-15.65.1-0.7

All items less energy

229.565229.688229.7351.20.10.0

All items less food and energy

228.689228.768228.7021.20.00.0

Commodities less food and energy commodities

146.660146.266145.704-0.9-0.7-0.4

Energy commodities

235.229248.381244.054-23.13.8-1.7

Services less energy services

282.656283.065283.3452.00.20.1

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) Index is 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.
 

Regions defined as the four Census regions. Midwest includes Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.
NOTE: Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date. Data not seasonally adjusted.
 

Table 2. Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W): Indexes and percent changes for selected periods

Midwest (1982-84=100 unless otherwise noted)
Item and Group

 
Indexes
 
Percent change from-
May
2015
Jun.
2015
Jul.
2015
Jul.
2014
May
2015
Jun.
2015

Expenditure category

 
 

All Items

219.773221.193221.136-0.90.60.0

All items (December 1977=100)

355.421357.718357.626   

Food and beverages

239.044239.366240.0721.40.40.3

Food

238.668239.125239.8851.50.50.3

Food at home

229.522230.019231.0750.40.70.5

Food away from home

255.309255.686255.8683.40.20.1

Alcoholic beverages

243.407241.571241.4090.5-0.8-0.1

Housing

206.881208.744209.1321.01.10.2

Shelter

237.663238.455238.8562.40.50.2

Rent of primary residence (1)

247.057247.934248.3712.90.50.2

Owners' equiv. rent of residences (1) (2)

234.637235.262235.5622.20.40.1

Owners' equiv. rent of primary residence (1) (2)

234.649235.272235.5702.20.40.1

Fuels and utilities

212.672222.303223.019-4.14.90.3

Household energy

176.167185.988186.568-6.25.90.3

Energy services (1)

181.709192.680193.555-5.66.50.5

Electricity (1)

197.543211.880213.4901.48.10.8

Utility (piped) gas service (1)

144.736148.703148.096-21.12.3-0.4

Household furnishings and operations

115.186114.552114.661-1.0-0.50.1

Apparel

116.474115.795114.283-2.7-1.9-1.3

Transportation

201.473205.074203.697-8.21.1-0.7

Private transportation

197.694201.396200.232-8.31.3-0.6

New and used motor vehicles (3)

100.821100.765100.590-0.6-0.2-0.2

New vehicles

143.938143.681142.4410.1-1.0-0.9

Used cars and trucks

151.738152.053152.193-1.70.30.1

Motor fuel

237.073251.400247.174-23.14.3-1.7

Gasoline (all types)

235.619249.981245.798-23.04.3-1.7

Gasoline, unleaded regular (4)

231.882246.177241.675-23.54.2-1.8

Gasoline, unleaded midgrade (4) (5)

264.433278.998275.352-22.34.1-1.3

Gasoline, unleaded premium (4)

242.079256.222254.381-19.65.1-0.7

Medical Care

457.217456.576456.4572.1-0.20.0

Medical care commodities

361.729361.090359.8582.9-0.5-0.3

Medical care services

486.468485.839486.1791.9-0.10.1

Professional services

393.404392.764393.3141.30.00.1

Recreation (3)

114.071113.930113.867-0.4-0.2-0.1

Education and communication (3)

131.413131.196131.317-1.1-0.10.1

Other goods and services

442.822444.842446.6452.40.90.4
 

Commodity and Service Group

 
 

All Items

219.773221.193221.136-0.90.60.0

Commodities

182.877184.171183.710-3.60.5-0.3

Commodities less food & beverages

155.496157.197156.230-6.80.5-0.6

Nondurables less food & beverages

202.503206.411204.617-10.01.0-0.9

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel

255.616262.262260.277-11.61.8-0.8

Durables

110.605110.370110.139-1.2-0.4-0.2

Services

263.757265.334265.7361.30.80.2

Rent of shelter (2)

235.986236.785237.1872.40.50.2

Transportation services

293.651292.842293.2273.4-0.10.1

Other services

303.258302.888302.8940.2-0.10.0
 

Special aggregate indexes:

 
 

All items less medical care

210.656212.149212.095-1.10.70.0

All items less food

216.104217.697217.492-1.40.6-0.1

All items less shelter

215.780217.439217.218-2.20.7-0.1

Commodities less food

158.191159.808158.858-6.50.4-0.6

Nondurables

221.060223.243222.655-4.30.7-0.3

Nondurables less food

204.540208.147206.439-9.40.9-0.8

Nondurables less food and apparel

252.909258.826257.002-10.81.6-0.7

Services less rent of shelter (2)

269.613271.914272.2770.31.00.1

Services less medical care services

248.998250.691251.0931.30.80.2

Energy

203.848215.731214.066-16.15.0-0.8

All items less energy

223.494223.633223.7741.30.10.1

All items less food and energy

220.671220.743220.7541.20.00.0

Commodities less food and energy commodities

149.943149.666149.253-0.7-0.5-0.3

Energy commodities

236.439249.830245.462-23.13.8-1.7

Services less energy services

274.603274.943275.2822.00.20.1

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) Index is on a December 1984=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.
 

Regions defined as the four Census regions. Midwest includes Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.
NOTE: Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date. Data not seasonally adjusted.
 

 

Last Modified Date: Wednesday, August 19, 2015