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News Release Information

17-53-KAN
Wednesday, January 18, 2017

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:
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Consumer Price Index, St. Louis – Second Half 2016

Prices increased 1.0 percent from the second half of 2015 to the second half of 2016

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for the St. Louis, Mo.-Ill., metropolitan area increased 1.0 percent from the second half of 2015 to the second half of 2016, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Assistant Commissioner for Regional Operations Stanley W. Suchman noted that higher shelter costs (3.4 percent) had the largest upward impact on the index. Energy costs decreased 5.4 percent and food prices declined 0.7 percent. The all items less food and energy index, which includes shelter, rose 2.0 percent over the year.

chart1
Food

Food prices decreased 0.7 percent from the second half of 2015 to the second half of 2016, compared to a 1.3-percent increase in the same period one year ago. Costs for food at home declined 2.5 percent, the largest annual decline since 1993, while prices for food away from home rose 2.0 percent. During the same period one year ago, these indexes rose 0.5 and 2.8 percent, respectively.

Energy

The energy index, which includes motor fuel and household fuels, declined 5.4 percent from the second half of 2015 to the second half of 2016, after decreasing 12.0 percent in the same period one year ago. Falling prices for electricity (-5.5 percent) and motor fuel (-5.8 percent) were largely responsible for the decline in the energy component, though lower costs for utility (piped) gas service (-3.6 percent) also contributed to the decrease. The declines in each of these energy components occurred in the first half of the year and were moderated by increases in the most recent half. In the same period one year ago, electricity costs rose 7.6 percent, motor fuel prices fell 25.2 percent, and prices for utility (piped) gas service declined 8.6 percent.

All items less food and energy

The index for all items less food and energy rose 2.0 percent from the second half of 2015 to the second half of 2016, following an increase of 1.0 percent in the same period one year ago. Among the expenditure categories posting higher costs were shelter (3.4 percent) and medical care (6.9 percent). In contrast, the index for education and communication (-2.0 percent) was among the components that registered lower prices over the year.

The St. Louis CPI-U stood at 222.357 for the second half of 2016. This means that a market basket of goods and services that cost $100.00 in the 1982-84 base period cost $222.36 in the second half of 2016. Because metropolitan area 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 metropolitan area indexes.

CPI-W

The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) for the St. Louis, Mo.-Ill., metropolitan area for the second half of 2016 was 220.082. The CPI-W increased 0.5 percent from the second half of 2015 to the second half of 2016.

The Consumer Price Index for the First Half of 2017 is scheduled to be released on July 14, 2017.


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 St. Louis, Mo.-Ill., area covered in this release includes Clinton, Jersey, Madison, Monroe, and St. Clair Counties in Illinois; and Crawford (part), Franklin, Jefferson, Lincoln, St. Charles, St. Louis, and Warren Counties and St. Louis City in Missouri.

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 for semiannual averages and percent changes for selected periods

St. Louis, MO-IL (1982-84=100 unless otherwise noted)
Item and Group

 
Semiannual average indexes
 
Percent change to
2nd half 2016 from-
2nd half
2015
1st half
2016
2nd half
2016
2nd half
2015
1st half
2016

Expenditure category

 
 

All Items

220.100219.792222.3571.01.2

All items (1967=100)

653.732652.820660.438  

Food and beverages

248.553246.670247.099-0.60.2

Food

248.015246.030246.273-0.70.1

Food at home

232.222227.704226.344-2.5-0.6

Food away from home

273.942276.302279.2872.01.1

Alcoholic beverages

228.278226.522228.9840.31.1

Housing

212.305211.700216.2031.82.1

Shelter

243.064247.917251.3603.41.4

Rent of primary residence(1)

222.150224.959227.1782.31.0

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

252.310256.958262.0603.92.0

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

252.310256.958262.0603.92.0

Fuels and utilities

224.359200.024216.280-3.68.1

Household energy

206.411178.321195.802-5.19.8

Energy services(1)

211.955182.239200.287-5.59.9

Electricity(1)

232.743192.747219.923-5.514.1

Utility (piped) gas service(1)

147.123138.714141.849-3.62.3

Household furnishings and operations

122.984120.658121.307-1.40.5

Apparel

151.959152.559154.2371.51.1

Transportation

184.691181.623181.137-1.9-0.3

Private transportation

183.828180.755181.081-1.50.2

Motor fuel

212.959186.966200.586-5.87.3

Gasoline (all types)

209.495184.067197.398-5.87.2

Gasoline, unleaded regular(3)

202.077176.594189.682-6.17.4

Gasoline, unleaded midgrade(3)(4)

246.028219.689234.009-4.96.5

Gasoline, unleaded premium(3)

214.233193.375206.357-3.76.7

Medical Care

401.228412.710428.8466.93.9

Recreation(5)

117.248118.193119.1091.60.8

Education and communication(5)

139.737139.237137.008-2.0-1.6

Other goods and services

304.807307.519307.1990.8-0.1
 

Commodity and Service Group

 
 

All Items

220.100219.792222.3571.01.2

Commodities

185.054182.727182.983-1.10.1

Commodities less food & beverages

153.069150.430150.608-1.60.1

Nondurables less food & beverages

202.308196.996200.139-1.11.6

Durables

107.026106.524104.675-2.2-1.7

Services

256.731258.295263.0162.41.8
 

Special aggregate indexes:

 
 

All items less medical care

211.084210.169212.0510.50.9

All items less shelter

213.958211.756214.0230.01.1

Commodities less food

156.441153.810154.059-1.50.2

Nondurables

225.747222.231224.112-0.70.8

Nondurables less food

205.260200.155203.269-1.01.6

Services less rent of shelter(2)

277.832275.960282.0661.52.2

Services less medical care services

243.256243.854247.1221.61.3

Energy

210.377183.038198.956-5.48.7

All items less energy

223.934226.126227.4951.60.6

All items less food and energy

220.008222.856224.4032.00.7

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 November 1982=100 base.
(3) Special index based on a substantially smaller sample.
(4) Indexes on a December 1993=100 base.
(5) Indexes on a December 1997=100 base.
 

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

St. Louis, MO-IL (1982-84=100 unless otherwise noted)
Item and Group

 
Semiannual average indexes
 
Percent change to
2nd half 2016 from-
2nd half
2015
1st half
2016
2nd half
2016
2nd half
2015
1st half
2016

Expenditure category

 
 

All Items

218.965217.752220.0820.51.1

All items (1967=100)

644.208640.638647.493  

Food and beverages

250.198248.007248.523-0.70.2

Food

250.285247.810248.068-0.90.1

Food at home

235.337230.428229.296-2.6-0.5

Food away from home

274.725277.291280.4012.11.1

Alcoholic beverages

221.206218.918221.2570.01.1

Housing

215.727214.305219.3821.72.4

Shelter

244.102248.531252.0943.31.4

Rent of primary residence(1)

222.150224.959227.1782.31.0

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

231.152235.410240.0843.92.0

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

231.152235.410240.0843.92.0

Fuels and utilities

229.973204.211221.286-3.88.4

Household energy

210.628181.254199.303-5.410.0

Energy services(1)

216.760186.006204.933-5.510.2

Electricity(1)

232.742192.746219.922-5.514.1

Utility (piped) gas service(1)

147.123138.714141.849-3.62.3

Household furnishings and operations

115.028112.872113.773-1.10.8

Apparel

146.655145.521145.726-0.60.1

Transportation

187.959184.337184.120-2.0-0.1

Private transportation

186.574182.842183.116-1.90.1

Motor fuel

212.909186.719200.405-5.97.3

Gasoline (all types)

209.496184.067197.398-5.87.2

Gasoline, unleaded regular(3)

202.067176.586189.673-6.17.4

Gasoline, unleaded midgrade(3)(4)

246.028219.689234.009-4.96.5

Gasoline, unleaded premium(3)

214.243193.384206.366-3.76.7

Medical Care

403.190415.611432.0397.24.0

Recreation(5)

119.576120.146120.3510.60.2

Education and communication(5)

133.146132.685130.503-2.0-1.6

Other goods and services

325.308328.892328.8871.10.0
 

Commodity and Service Group

 
 

All Items

218.965217.752220.0820.51.1

Commodities

188.524185.443185.765-1.50.2

Commodities less food & beverages

157.871154.357154.589-2.10.2

Nondurables less food & beverages

199.641192.428195.737-2.01.7

Durables

115.782115.185113.249-2.2-1.7

Services

255.715256.547261.1162.11.8
 

Special aggregate indexes:

 
 

All items less medical care

211.401209.672211.4710.00.9

All items less shelter

212.139209.064211.009-0.50.9

Commodities less food

160.593157.107157.439-2.00.2

Nondurables

224.554219.950221.891-1.20.9

Nondurables less food

201.725194.836198.037-1.81.6

Services less rent of shelter(2)

256.855254.055259.3591.02.1

Services less medical care services

242.739242.689246.0061.31.4

Energy

208.399180.811196.685-5.68.8

All items less energy

222.520224.187225.1021.20.4

All items less food and energy

216.821219.255220.2871.60.5

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 November 1984=100 base.
(3) Special index based on a substantially smaller sample.
(4) Indexes on a December 1993=100 base.
(5) Indexes on a December 1997=100 base.
 

 

Last Modified Date: Wednesday, January 18, 2017