The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for the South inched up 0.1 percent in September, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The all items less food and energy index edged up 0.2 percent over the month, as increases for apparel, shelter, and education and communication were largely offset by price decreases for used cars and trucks, and medical care. The food index rose 0.3 percent over the month, while the energy index declined 1.4 percent. (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 all items CPI-U advanced 1.7 percent. The index for all items less food and energy rose 1.8 percent over the year. (See chart 1.)

Food

The food index rose 0.3 percent in September. Prices for food at home and food away from home increased 0.4 and 0.2 percent, respectively.

Since September 2013, the food index advanced 2.7 percent, reflecting higher prices for both food at home (2.9 percent) and food away from home (2.5 percent).

Energy

The energy index declined 1.4 percent over the month, led by a 2.2-percent drop in motor fuel prices. Prices for electricity edged down 0.2 percent and utility (piped) gas service prices decreased 0.7 percent.

Over the year, energy prices decreased 0.3 percent, as a 3.4-percent decrease in motor fuel prices was largely offset by price increases for electricity (4.0 percent) and utility (piped) gas service (3.6 percent).

All items less food and energy

The all items less food and energy index edged up 0.2 percent in September, mainly reflecting a seasonal increase in apparel prices (4.3 percent). Price increases were also noted for shelter and education and communication, up 0.2 percent each. These advances were largely offset by a 1.3-percent decrease in prices for used cars and trucks and a 0.1-percent decline in prices for medical care.

Since September 2013, the all items less food and energy index advanced 1.8 percent, led by price increases for shelter (3.4 percent).

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

Month	2009		2010		2011		2012		2013		2014
	1-month	12-month	1-month	12-month	1-month	12-month	1-month	12-month	1-month	12-month	1-month	12-month
January	0.4	-0.1	0.3	2.8	0.5	1.7	0.5	3.2	0.4	1.6	0.3	1.7
February	0.5	0.1	0.0	2.3	0.5	2.2	0.6	3.3	0.9	1.8	0.4	1.2
March	0.3	-0.3	0.6	2.5	1.2	2.8	0.7	2.8	0.3	1.5	0.6	1.5
April	0.3	-0.7	0.1	2.4	0.7	3.4	0.4	2.5	-0.2	0.9	0.5	2.3
May	0.3	-1.3	0.0	2.0	0.5	4.0	-0.4	1.6	0.0	1.3	0.2	2.4
June	1.0	-1.4	-0.1	0.9	-0.2	3.8	-0.2	1.7	0.4	1.9	0.2	2.3
July	-0.3	-2.1	-0.1	1.0	0.2	4.1	-0.2	1.4	0.2	2.2	-0.1	2.0
August	0.1	-1.6	0.2	1.1	0.4	4.3	0.6	1.6	0.1	1.7	-0.2	1.7
September	0.0	-1.8	0.2	1.4	0.0	4.1	0.5	2.1	0.0	1.3	0.1	1.7
October	0.2	-0.4	0.1	1.3	-0.2	3.7	-0.2	2.1	-0.2	1.3	-	-
November	0.2	2.0	0.0	1.1	0.0	3.8	-0.5	1.6	-0.3	1.5	-	-
December	-0.1	2.9	0.2	1.4	-0.2	3.3	-0.1	1.7	0.1	1.8	-	-

The October 2014 Consumer Price Index for the South region is scheduled to be released on Thursday, November 20, 2014 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 88 percent of the total population and (2) a CPI for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) which covers 29 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 CPIs are 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. Prices are collected each month 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.

In calculating the index, price changes for the various items in each location are averaged together with weights, which represent their importance in the spending of the appropriate population group. Local data are then combined to obtain a U.S. city average. For the CPI-U and CPI-W separate indexes are also published by size of city, by region of the country, for cross-classifications of regions and population-size classed, and for 27 local areas. Area indexes do not measure differences in the level of prices among cities; they only measure the average change in prices for each area since the base period. For the C-CPI-U, data are issued only at the national level. It is important to note that the CPI-U and CPI-W are considered final when released, but the C-CPI-U is issued in preliminary form and subject to two annual revisions.

The index measures price changes from a designated reference date. For the CPI-U and the CPI-W the reference base is 1982-84 equals 100. The reference base for the C-CPI-U is February 1999 equals 100. An increase of 16.5 percent from the reference base, for example, is shown as 116.500. 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.

The South region is comprised of Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia.

For further details visit the CPI home page on the Internet at www.bls.gov/cpi or contact our CPI Information and Analysis Section at 202-691-7000.

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
South (1982-84=100 unless otherwise noted)

Item and Group	Indexes			Percent change from-
	Jul. 2014	Aug. 2014	Sep. 2014	Sep. 2013	Jul. 2014	Aug. 2014
Expenditure category
All Items	232.013	231.611	231.762	1.7	-0.1	0.1
All items (December 1977=100)	376.357	375.705	375.950	-	-	-
Food and beverages	241.320	242.188	242.958	2.6	0.7	0.3
Food	242.637	243.595	244.435	2.7	0.7	0.3
Food at home	238.328	239.635	240.648	2.9	1.0	0.4
Food away from home	251.896	252.353	252.945	2.5	0.4	0.2
Alcoholic beverages	222.315	221.932	221.751	0.2	-0.3	-0.1
Housing	218.435	218.657	218.871	2.9	0.2	0.1
Shelter	243.994	244.437	244.915	3.4	0.4	0.2
Rent of primary residence (1)	248.352	248.868	249.696	3.5	0.5	0.3
Owners' equiv. rent of residences (1) (2)	246.161	246.947	247.408	3.0	0.5	0.2
Owners' equiv. rent of primary residence (1) (2)	246.160	246.947	247.405	3.0	0.5	0.2
Fuels and utilities	241.330	240.622	240.094	3.6	-0.5	-0.2
Household energy	203.523	202.457	201.820	3.9	-0.8	-0.3
Energy services (1)	203.393	202.315	201.702	3.9	-0.8	-0.3
Electricity (1)	201.889	201.483	200.986	4.0	-0.4	-0.2
Utility (piped) gas service (1)	196.345	190.984	189.676	3.6	-3.4	-0.7
Household furnishings and operations	122.673	122.775	122.581	-1.7	-0.1	-0.2
Apparel	131.768	131.830	137.500	-0.7	4.4	4.3
Transportation	222.030	218.549	216.416	-0.5	-2.5	-1.0
Private transportation	220.385	217.161	215.116	-0.3	-2.4	-0.9
New and used motor vehicles (3)	103.500	103.794	103.447	0.5	-0.1	-0.3
New vehicles	152.197	152.785	152.721	0.6	0.3	0.0
New cars and trucks (3) (4)	103.586	103.992	103.944	0.6	0.3	0.0
New cars (4)	154.568	154.191	154.279	0.3	-0.2	0.1
Used cars and trucks	151.454	151.912	149.946	-0.3	-1.0	-1.3
Motor fuel	309.457	294.814	288.305	-3.4	-6.8	-2.2
Gasoline (all types)	307.942	293.183	286.657	-3.4	-6.9	-2.2
Unleaded regular (4)	305.743	290.648	284.020	-3.6	-7.1	-2.3
Unleaded midgrade (4) (5)	322.901	308.751	302.405	-2.8	-6.3	-2.1
Unleaded premium (4)	309.108	296.237	290.420	-2.5	-6.0	-2.0
Medical care	415.471	415.472	415.075	1.5	-0.1	-0.1
Medical care commodities	331.431	332.789	332.659	2.7	0.4	0.0
Medical care services	443.960	443.374	442.868	1.1	-0.2	-0.1
Professional services	352.060	352.442	351.940	0.7	0.0	-0.1
Recreation (3)	116.065	115.344	115.376	-0.2	-0.6	0.0
Education and communication (3)	134.323	135.248	135.561	1.7	0.9	0.2
Other goods and services	400.736	400.864	400.392	1.7	-0.1	-0.1
Commodity and service group
All Items	232.013	231.611	231.762	1.7	-0.1	0.1
Commodities	191.107	190.079	190.179	0.1	-0.5	0.1
Commodities less food and beverages	165.862	164.104	163.933	-1.3	-1.2	-0.1
Nondurables less food and beverages	222.243	218.263	218.400	-1.1	-1.7	0.1
Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel	277.427	271.086	268.090	-1.2	-3.4	-1.1
Durables	113.270	113.421	112.999	-1.4	-0.2	-0.4
Services	273.702	273.900	274.102	2.8	0.1	0.1
Rent of shelter (2)	250.345	250.779	251.270	3.3	0.4	0.2
Transportation services	303.507	302.795	301.863	2.1	-0.5	-0.3
Other services	325.455	326.112	326.664	1.8	0.4	0.2
Special aggregate indexes
All items less medical care	221.700	221.285	221.457	1.7	-0.1	0.1
All items less food	230.141	229.531	229.576	1.5	-0.2	0.0
All items less shelter	228.711	227.957	227.973	1.0	-0.3	0.0
Commodities less food	167.738	166.013	165.841	-1.2	-1.1	-0.1
Nondurables	231.846	230.107	230.539	0.6	-0.6	0.2
Nondurables less food	222.031	218.253	218.373	-1.0	-1.6	0.1
Nondurables less food and apparel	271.393	265.587	262.843	-1.1	-3.2	-1.0
Services less rent of shelter (2)	311.678	311.581	311.420	2.2	-0.1	-0.1
Services less medical care services	258.183	258.424	258.665	2.9	0.2	0.1
Energy	247.539	240.328	237.036	-0.3	-4.2	-1.4
All items less energy	230.998	231.359	231.897	2.0	0.4	0.2
All items less food and energy	229.353	229.610	230.096	1.8	0.3	0.2
Commodities less food and energy commodities	148.732	148.860	149.611	-0.5	0.6	0.5
Energy commodities	313.615	299.000	292.465	-3.3	-6.7	-2.2
Services less energy services	280.892	281.234	281.528	2.7	0.2	0.1
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.
- Data not available. Regions defined as the four Census regions. South includes Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia. NOTE: Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date. Data not seasonally adjusted.