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errata

Incorrect prices for prescription drugs were used for the CPI-U and CPI-W indexes from May through August 2016 in a number of areas. Several indexes were affected, including the all items and medical care indexes. A list of the series affected can be found at www.bls.gov/bls/errata/cpi-price-corrections-10182016.htm, and the corrected data are available in the CPI database (www.bls.gov/cpi/data.htm).

News Release Information

16-1689-KAN
Tuesday, August 16, 2016

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

Consumer Price Index, Midwest Region – July 2016

Prices in the Midwest down 0.5 percent in July, but 0.4 percent higher over the year

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) in the Midwest was down 0.5 percent in July following four consecutive monthly increases, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The July decrease was largely attributable to a 10.2-percent drop in motor fuel costs. The index for all items less food and energy, down 0.2 percent, also contributed to the monthly decline. Food prices were little changed (-0.1 percent) over the month. (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 advanced 0.4 percent from July 2015 to July 2016. (See chart 1 and table A.) The energy index, which includes motor fuel and household fuels, fell 10.4 percent, and prices for food were unchanged. Excluding food and energy, the CPI-U rose 1.8 percent over the year. (See table 1.)

Food

Food prices in the Midwest registered little movement (-0.1 percent) in July. The index for food at home was 0.2 percent lower, while costs for food away from home (0.1 percent) were virtually unchanged over the month.

From July 2015 to July 2016, the index for food was unchanged. Prices for food at home registered their tenth consecutive over-the-year decrease, down 1.8 percent since July 2015. This is the largest annual decline in the food at home index since November 2009. Costs for food away from home rose 2.7 percent over the year, offsetting the decrease in the food at home index.

Energy

The energy index turned down 3.9 percent in July following four consecutive monthly advances. The decrease in energy costs was largely attributable to a 10.2-percent decline in motor fuel prices. Conversely, electricity prices rose 0.5 percent and utility (piped) gas service costs advanced 6.4 percent over the month.

Energy costs fell 10.4 percent from July 2015 to July 2016, led by a 19.1-percent drop in motor fuel prices. Lower costs for utility (piped) gas service (-3.5 percent) and electricity (-0.8 percent) also contributed to the decline.

All items less food and energy

The index for all items less food and energy for the Midwest decreased 0.2 percent in July. Expenditure categories registering lower prices over the month included apparel (-2.6 percent), recreation (-0.3 percent), and new and used motor vehicles (-0.2 percent).

The index for all items less food and energy was up 1.8 percent from July 2015 to July 2016. A 2.7-percent rise in shelter costs led the advance. Prices for medical care services had the next largest upward impact with a 4.3-percent increase.

The Midwest Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) stood at 226.777 in July 2016. A typical market basket of goods and services that cost $100.00 in the 1982-84 base period cost $226.78 in July 2016.

CPI-W

In July, the Midwest Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) was 221.072, down 0.5 percent over the month. The CPI-W was unchanged over the year.

Table A. Midwest 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

0.62.80.11.30.51.4-0.6-0.30.30.8

February

0.22.71.12.20.60.90.3-0.50.00.4

March

1.02.80.21.40.91.50.6-0.90.60.5

April

0.22.3-0.11.20.31.90.1-1.10.40.8

May

-0.11.50.51.80.21.60.4-0.80.40.8

June

-0.11.40.32.20.51.70.5-0.70.60.8

July

0.01.3-0.41.8-0.31.80.0-0.5-0.50.4

August

0.71.80.11.2-0.21.60.0-0.3  

September

0.31.90.11.00.11.6-0.3-0.8  

October

-0.32.2-0.50.8-0.51.6-0.1-0.3  

November

-0.41.8-0.21.0-0.61.2-0.5-0.2  

December

-0.21.8-0.21.0-0.70.7-0.60.0  

The August 2016 Consumer Price Index for the Midwest region is scheduled to be released on Friday, September 16, 2016.


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: (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
2016
Jun.
2016
Jul.
2016
Jul.
2015
May
2016
Jun.
2016

Expenditure category

 
 

All Items

226.478227.828226.7770.40.1-0.5

All items (December 1977=100)

368.492370.689368.980   

Food and beverages

240.398239.963239.6750.1-0.3-0.1

Food

239.941239.478239.1930.0-0.3-0.1

Food at home

227.107226.303225.750-1.8-0.6-0.2

Food away from home

261.470261.589261.7642.70.10.1

Alcoholic beverages

244.453244.428244.0861.5-0.2-0.1

Housing

215.543217.518217.8231.81.10.1

Shelter

255.109256.656256.4612.70.5-0.1

Rent of primary residence (1)

253.486254.235254.8762.90.50.3

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

258.534259.216259.9512.90.50.3

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

258.523259.206259.9412.90.50.3

Fuels and utilities

209.801217.622221.092-0.45.41.6

Household energy

171.218179.174182.814-1.66.82.0

Energy services (1)

178.634187.236191.213-1.67.02.1

Electricity (1)

200.527212.924213.959-0.86.70.5

Utility (piped) gas service (1)

131.821133.708142.223-3.57.96.4

Household furnishings and operations

114.784114.596114.496-1.5-0.3-0.1

Apparel

118.928116.767113.700-1.4-4.4-2.6

Transportation

195.422198.807193.405-5.5-1.0-2.7

Private transportation

189.040192.751187.884-5.6-0.6-2.5

New and used motor vehicles (3)

99.16899.17698.956-1.1-0.2-0.2

New vehicles

139.611139.739139.2020.0-0.3-0.4

New cars and trucks (3) (4)

98.71198.80298.363-0.3-0.4-0.4

New cars (4)

135.531135.564134.755-0.6-0.6-0.6

Used cars and trucks

147.886147.087146.282-3.5-1.1-0.5

Motor fuel

204.859222.246199.520-19.1-2.6-10.2

Gasoline (all types)

203.986221.405198.498-19.1-2.7-10.3

Gasoline, unleaded regular (4)

198.571216.066192.969-20.1-2.8-10.7

Gasoline, Unleaded midgrade (4) (5)

236.644253.631229.768-16.6-2.9-9.4

Gasoline, unleaded premium (4)

224.387240.606220.598-13.3-1.7-8.3

Medical Care

466.998467.459470.5964.30.80.7

Medical care commodities

374.011377.876381.0594.11.90.8

Medical care services

498.263497.507500.6154.30.50.6

Professional services

406.529406.220405.9793.6-0.1-0.1

Recreation (3)

118.939119.718119.3741.40.4-0.3

Education and communication (3)

140.355140.213140.2040.6-0.10.0

Other goods and services

408.204409.344408.1231.70.0-0.3
 

Commodity and Service Group

 
 

All Items

226.478227.828226.7770.40.1-0.5

Commodities

177.169177.969175.534-2.6-0.9-1.4

Commodities less food & beverages

146.425147.695144.476-4.5-1.3-2.2

Nondurables less food & beverages

187.479190.727184.297-5.6-1.7-3.4

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel

232.484239.213230.592-6.8-0.8-3.6

Durables

105.995105.710105.093-2.4-0.9-0.6

Services

277.345279.260279.6212.40.80.1

Rent of shelter (2)

262.087263.726263.5112.80.5-0.1

Transportation services

300.661300.346298.6731.5-0.7-0.6

Other services

332.578334.538334.6742.30.60.0
 

Special aggregate indexes:

 
 

All items less medical care

215.093216.486215.2360.00.1-0.6

All items less food

224.177225.816224.6440.50.2-0.5

All items less shelter

218.385219.678218.313-0.60.0-0.6

Commodities less food

149.513150.754147.595-4.2-1.3-2.1

Nondurables

213.519215.027211.494-2.7-0.9-1.6

Nondurables less food

190.490193.554187.465-5.2-1.6-3.1

Nondurables less food and apparel

232.176238.276230.428-6.2-0.8-3.3

Services less rent of shelter (2)

310.138312.465313.4732.11.10.3

Services less medical care services

260.876262.983263.1432.20.90.1

Energy

186.465198.523190.806-10.42.3-3.9

All items less energy

233.238233.549233.1431.50.0-0.2

All items less food and energy

232.730233.182232.7531.80.0-0.2

Commodities less food and energy commodities

146.086145.483144.519-0.8-1.1-0.7

Energy commodities

203.723220.358198.588-18.6-2.5-9.9

Services less energy services

289.892291.114291.0952.70.40.0

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) 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
2016
Jun.
2016
Jul.
2016
Jul.
2015
May
2016
Jun.
2016

Expenditure category

 
 

All Items

220.833222.224221.0720.00.1-0.5

All items (December 1977=100)

357.136359.385357.522   

Food and beverages

240.312239.903239.622-0.2-0.3-0.1

Food

239.854239.419239.138-0.3-0.3-0.1

Food at home

227.647226.964226.461-2.0-0.5-0.2

Food away from home

262.708262.789262.9702.80.10.1

Alcoholic beverages

246.027246.052245.7691.8-0.1-0.1

Housing

210.481212.253212.8461.81.10.3

Shelter

244.072245.147245.3382.70.50.1

Rent of primary residence (1)

254.101254.852255.4972.90.50.3

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

241.006241.628242.3092.90.50.3

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

241.010241.630242.3072.90.50.3

Fuels and utilities

211.183218.829222.453-0.35.31.7

Household energy

172.293180.001183.772-1.56.72.1

Energy services (1)

178.419186.752190.849-1.47.02.2

Electricity (1)

199.019210.695211.939-0.76.50.6

Utility (piped) gas service (1)

132.734134.736143.651-3.08.26.6

Household furnishings and operations

113.026112.782112.444-1.9-0.5-0.3

Apparel

116.956114.069110.484-3.3-5.5-3.1

Transportation

192.670196.607190.781-6.3-1.0-3.0

Private transportation

188.869192.941187.372-6.4-0.8-2.9

New and used motor vehicles (3)

99.54099.46799.183-1.4-0.4-0.3

New vehicles

142.980143.092142.4300.0-0.4-0.5

Used cars and trucks

148.499147.690146.849-3.5-1.1-0.6

Motor fuel

205.454222.789199.825-19.2-2.7-10.3

Gasoline (all types)

204.469221.815198.700-19.2-2.8-10.4

Gasoline, unleaded regular (4)

198.883216.279193.009-20.1-3.0-10.8

Gasoline, unleaded midgrade (4) (5)

236.643253.730229.704-16.6-2.9-9.5

Gasoline, unleaded premium (4)

224.271240.356220.247-13.4-1.8-8.4

Medical Care

472.524472.968476.3834.40.80.7

Medical care commodities

366.694370.801374.2424.02.10.9

Medical care services

505.498504.633508.0034.50.50.7

Professional services

408.874408.624408.3343.8-0.1-0.1

Recreation (3)

115.116115.518115.1591.10.0-0.3

Education and communication (3)

132.174132.049132.0500.6-0.10.0

Other goods and services

454.081456.608455.5352.00.3-0.2
 

Commodity and Service Group

 
 

All Items

220.833222.224221.0720.00.1-0.5

Commodities

179.801180.938177.939-3.1-1.0-1.7

Commodities less food & beverages

150.322152.032148.055-5.2-1.5-2.6

Nondurables less food & beverages

194.624199.016190.890-6.7-1.9-4.1

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel

242.548251.021240.192-7.7-1.0-4.3

Durables

108.409108.071107.350-2.5-1.0-0.7

Services

269.587271.281272.0602.40.90.3

Rent of shelter (2)

242.434243.545243.7252.80.50.1

Transportation services

299.680299.874299.9762.30.10.0

Other services

307.752308.960309.1532.10.50.1
 

Special aggregate indexes:

 
 

All items less medical care

211.186212.613211.286-0.40.0-0.6

All items less food

217.048218.728217.4400.00.2-0.6

All items less shelter

214.951216.470214.827-1.1-0.1-0.8

Commodities less food

153.217154.898150.984-5.0-1.5-2.5

Nondurables

217.696219.821215.394-3.3-1.1-2.0

Nondurables less food

197.245201.421193.683-6.2-1.8-3.8

Nondurables less food and apparel

241.265249.047239.082-7.0-0.9-4.0

Services less rent of shelter (2)

274.181276.344277.6932.01.30.5

Services less medical care services

254.008255.848256.4672.11.00.2

Energy

186.952199.092190.453-11.01.9-4.3

All items less energy

226.838226.964226.6921.3-0.1-0.1

All items less food and energy

224.402224.631224.3611.60.0-0.1

Commodities less food and energy commodities

149.391148.736147.598-1.1-1.2-0.8

Energy commodities

204.416220.984199.035-18.9-2.6-9.9

Services less energy services

281.624282.517282.8952.80.50.1

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: Tuesday, August 16, 2016