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News Release Information

15-2207-KAN
Tuesday, November 17, 2015

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

Consumer Price Index, Midwest Region – October 2015

Prices in the Midwest little changed in October and 0.3 percent lower over the year

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) in the Midwest was little changed in October (-0.1 percent), the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Lower costs for electricity (-5.9 percent) had the largest downward impact on the index while higher prices for medical care services (0.6 percent) and apparel (1.0 percent) provided the largest offsetting influences. Overall, energy costs were 1.8 percent lower over the month.  Food prices were down 0.2 percent while the index for all items less food and energy rose 0.2 percent. (Data in this report are not seasonally adjusted. Accordingly, month-to-month changes may reflect the impact of seasonal influences.)

The CPI-U for the Midwest decreased 0.3 percent from October 2014 to October 2015, the tenth consecutive month of over-the-year decline. (See chart 1 and table A.) Food prices increased 1.0 percent and the energy index, which includes motor fuel and household fuels, fell 15.3 percent. Excluding food and energy, the CPI-U rose 1.3 percent over the year. (See table 1.)

 

Food

Food prices in the Midwest decreased 0.2 percent in October. The index for food at home declined 0.3 percent and costs for food away from home registered little movement (0.1 percent).  

From October 2014 to October 2015, the index for food rose 1.0 percent, the smallest over-the-year increase since December 2013.  Rising costs for food away from home (2.8 percent) were responsible for the yearly advance. Prices for food at home were 0.2 percent lower over the year.

Energy

The energy index registered its fourth consecutive monthly decline, falling 1.8 percent in October, and had the greatest downward impact on the all items index. The decrease in energy costs was largely attributable to a 5.9-percent drop in electricity prices. Lower costs for utility (piped) gas service (-1.7 percent) also contributed to the monthly decline. In contrast, motor fuel prices turned up 1.1 percent in October after declining in the three previous months.

Energy prices fell 15.3 percent from October 2014 to October 2015, led by a drop of 23.4 percent in motor fuel prices. The index for motor fuel has registered consecutive over-the-year declines since August 2014. Costs for utility (piped) gas service were 16.5 percent lower over the year, while electricity prices were up 0.6 percent.

All items less food and energy

The index for all items less food and energy for the Midwest rose 0.2 percent in October. Expenditure categories registering higher prices over the month included medical care services (0.6 percent) and apparel (1.0 percent). In contrast, recreation (-0.6 percent) and used cars and trucks (-1.8 percent) were among the expenditure categories posting lower prices over the month.

The index for all items less food and energy was up 1.3 percent from October 2014 to October 2015. Higher costs for shelter (2.2 percent) and medical care services (2.6 percent) led the advance.

The Midwest Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) stood at 225.050 in October 2015. A typical market basket of goods and services that cost $100.00 in the 1982-84 base period cost $225.05 in October 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 October, the Midwest Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) was 219.875, down 0.1 percent over the month. The CPI-W decreased 0.8 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

0.23.80.71.80.11.2-0.21.60.0-0.3

September

0.23.90.31.90.11.00.11.6-0.3-0.8

October

-0.63.3-0.32.2-0.50.8-0.51.6-0.1-0.3

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 November 2015 Consumer Price Index for the Midwest region is scheduled to be released on Tuesday, December 15, 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-
Aug.
2015
Sep.
2015
Oct.
2015
Oct.
2014
Aug.
2015
Sep.
2015

Expenditure category

 
 

All Items

225.830225.184225.050-0.3-0.3-0.1

All items (December 1977=100)

367.438366.386366.170   

Food and beverages

240.304241.353241.0061.00.3-0.1

Food

240.035241.100240.6951.00.3-0.2

Food at home

230.714231.872231.063-0.20.2-0.3

Food away from home

255.562256.469256.7512.80.50.1

Alcoholic beverages

241.594242.382242.9370.60.60.2

Housing

213.907213.827212.9171.1-0.5-0.4

Shelter

249.789250.435250.7762.20.40.1

Rent of primary residence (1)

248.212249.093249.8852.60.70.3

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

253.239253.970254.3462.00.40.1

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

253.235253.963254.3392.00.40.1

Fuels and utilities

221.787217.460209.651-3.6-5.5-3.6

Household energy

185.517180.872172.729-5.8-6.9-4.5

Energy services (1)

194.009189.089180.075-4.9-7.2-4.8

Electricity (1)

215.456209.357196.9610.6-8.6-5.9

Utility (piped) gas service (1)

146.756144.182141.681-16.5-3.5-1.7

Household furnishings and operations

115.822116.226115.743-0.9-0.1-0.4

Apparel

117.025121.530122.731-2.74.91.0

Transportation

202.612195.985196.789-6.8-2.90.4

Private transportation

197.332190.680191.149-7.1-3.10.2

New and used motor vehicles (3)

99.45798.91198.505-0.6-1.0-0.4

New vehicles

138.725138.849139.1150.20.30.2

New cars and trucks (3) (4)

98.26598.36398.5430.30.30.2

New cars (4)

135.153135.590135.5310.40.30.0

Used cars and trucks

151.385148.968146.290-1.6-3.4-1.8

Motor fuel

240.564214.907217.297-23.4-9.71.1

Gasoline (all types)

239.397213.670216.014-23.3-9.81.1

Gasoline, unleaded regular (4)

235.185208.627210.759-24.3-10.41.0

Gasoline, Unleaded midgrade (4) (5)

268.532244.167248.063-21.0-7.61.6

Gasoline, unleaded premium (4)

251.927231.993235.064-17.2-6.71.3

Medical Care

451.284451.793454.6802.40.80.6

Medical care commodities

364.941363.415366.0542.00.30.7

Medical care services

480.199481.504484.4572.60.90.6

Professional services

392.467393.729392.6711.50.1-0.3

Recreation (3)

117.935118.002117.3200.1-0.5-0.6

Education and communication (3)

139.846140.481140.6870.30.60.1

Other goods and services

402.830402.044402.3131.9-0.10.1
 

Commodity and Service Group

 
 

All Items

225.830225.184225.050-0.3-0.3-0.1

Commodities

180.085178.825178.837-3.1-0.70.0

Commodities less food & beverages

150.631148.428148.592-5.8-1.40.1

Nondurables less food & beverages

194.414189.947191.141-8.4-1.70.6

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel

245.099234.876236.073-10.1-3.70.5

Durables

107.241107.081106.346-1.3-0.8-0.7

Services

273.170273.126272.8471.6-0.1-0.1

Rent of shelter (2)

256.541257.223257.5662.20.40.1

Transportation services

292.358291.045293.7961.90.50.9

Other services

328.436329.082329.0791.30.20.0
 

Special aggregate indexes:

 
 

All items less medical care

215.160214.459214.182-0.6-0.5-0.1

All items less food

223.421222.496222.407-0.6-0.50.0

All items less shelter

219.492218.352218.039-1.4-0.7-0.1

Commodities less food

153.561151.424151.598-5.5-1.30.1

Nondurables

217.206215.325215.796-3.7-0.60.2

Nondurables less food

196.967192.767193.929-7.9-1.50.6

Nondurables less food and apparel

243.546234.270235.409-9.3-3.30.5

Services less rent of shelter (2)

307.300306.421305.4151.0-0.6-0.3

Services less medical care services

257.700257.562257.0591.5-0.2-0.2

Energy

210.174196.400192.789-15.3-8.3-1.8

All items less energy

229.998230.708230.9341.20.40.1

All items less food and energy

228.873229.518229.8631.30.40.2

Commodities less food and energy commodities

145.827146.679146.534-0.90.5-0.1

Energy commodities

238.255213.486216.065-23.5-9.31.2

Services less energy services

283.548284.040284.7202.10.40.2

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) 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-
Aug.
2015
Sep.
2015
Oct.
2015
Oct.
2014
Aug.
2015
Sep.
2015

Expenditure category

 
 

All Items

221.188220.121219.875-0.8-0.6-0.1

All items (December 1977=100)

357.710355.985355.586   

Food and beverages

240.891241.973241.4610.90.2-0.2

Food

240.695241.787241.1900.90.2-0.2

Food at home

231.870233.053232.007-0.20.1-0.4

Food away from home

256.703257.612257.8922.90.50.1

Alcoholic beverages

242.361243.275244.1221.00.70.3

Housing

209.250209.047208.0581.0-0.6-0.5

Shelter

239.166239.771240.1942.30.40.2

Rent of primary residence (1)

248.871249.727250.5092.60.70.3

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

236.105236.773237.1152.00.40.1

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

236.114236.781237.1232.00.40.1

Fuels and utilities

222.878218.399210.660-3.4-5.5-3.5

Household energy

186.259181.494173.482-5.6-6.9-4.4

Energy services (1)

193.195188.191179.422-4.7-7.1-4.7

Electricity (1)

213.250207.186195.3800.5-8.4-5.7

Utility (piped) gas service (1)

147.510144.758142.275-16.7-3.5-1.7

Household furnishings and operations

114.283114.739114.147-1.0-0.1-0.5

Apparel

116.270119.975121.140-2.64.21.0

Transportation

201.850194.299194.737-7.9-3.50.2

Private transportation

198.468190.969191.259-8.1-3.60.2

New and used motor vehicles (3)

100.14499.40798.690-0.7-1.5-0.7

New vehicles

141.956142.154142.3830.10.30.2

Used cars and trucks

152.033149.617146.942-1.6-3.3-1.8

Motor fuel

241.344215.580218.046-23.4-9.71.1

Gasoline (all types)

240.066214.259216.666-23.3-9.71.1

Gasoline, unleaded regular (4)

235.690209.055211.233-24.4-10.41.0

Gasoline, unleaded midgrade (4) (5)

268.344243.984248.076-20.9-7.61.7

Gasoline, unleaded premium (4)

252.010232.058235.222-17.2-6.71.4

Medical Care

456.326456.862460.0102.40.80.7

Medical care commodities

358.749357.267359.9271.90.30.7

Medical care services

486.451487.803491.0822.61.00.7

Professional services

393.791395.080394.1171.60.1-0.2

Recreation (3)

114.046114.143113.510-0.4-0.5-0.6

Education and communication (3)

131.790132.213132.4710.00.50.2

Other goods and services

448.433447.519447.5252.5-0.20.0
 

Commodity and Service Group

 
 

All Items

221.188220.121219.875-0.8-0.6-0.1

Commodities

183.529181.684181.544-3.6-1.1-0.1

Commodities less food & beverages

155.614152.514152.538-6.4-2.00.0

Nondurables less food & beverages

203.702197.491198.714-9.4-2.40.6

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel

257.652245.557246.832-11.2-4.20.5

Durables

109.797109.447108.448-1.4-1.2-0.9

Services

266.053265.860265.4901.5-0.2-0.1

Rent of shelter (2)

237.499238.116238.5312.20.40.2

Transportation services

292.421291.313293.6982.40.40.8

Other services

304.140304.454304.6870.90.20.1
 

Special aggregate indexes:

 
 

All items less medical care

212.153211.030210.659-1.0-0.7-0.2

All items less food

217.407215.950215.767-1.1-0.8-0.1

All items less shelter

217.179215.507215.019-1.9-1.0-0.2

Commodities less food

158.280155.271155.317-6.2-1.90.0

Nondurables

222.578219.883220.269-4.2-1.00.2

Nondurables less food

205.621199.786200.989-8.8-2.30.6

Nondurables less food and apparel

254.683243.718244.949-10.3-3.80.5

Services less rent of shelter (2)

272.569271.482270.2650.8-0.8-0.4

Services less medical care services

251.410251.130250.5521.4-0.3-0.2

Energy

211.181196.639193.549-15.9-8.3-1.6

All items less energy

224.189224.780224.8831.20.30.0

All items less food and energy

221.087221.573221.8231.20.30.1

Commodities less food and energy commodities

149.490150.033149.653-0.80.1-0.3

Energy commodities

239.832214.743217.373-23.5-9.41.2

Services less energy services

275.688276.129276.8652.10.40.3

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: Tuesday, November 17, 2015