The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for the South edged down 0.3 percent in November, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The energy index declined 5.0 percent over the month. The all items less food and energy index edged up 0.2 percent and the food index inched up 0.1 percent in November. (Data in this report are not seasonally adjusted. Accordingly, month-to-month changes reflect the impact of seasonal influences.)

The all items CPI-U was up 1.9 percent since November 2017. The index for all items less food and energy increased 2.0 percent over the past year, and the energy index advanced 2.2 percent. The food index rose 1.2 percent over the year. (See chart 1 and table 1.)

Food

The food index inched up 0.1 percent in November reflecting a 0.3-percent increase in the food away from home index. In contrast, the food at home index inched down 0.1 percent.

The food index rose 1.2 percent since November 2017, led by a 2.3-percent increase in the food away from home index. Over the year, the food at home index edged up 0.3 percent.

Energy

The energy index declined 5.0 percent in November, fueled by a decrease in the motor fuel index (-9.1 percent). The electricity index also declined over the month, down 0.1 percent, while the utility (piped) gas service index rose 2.6 percent.

From November 2017—November 2018, the energy index advanced 2.2 percent, reflecting a 3.8-percent increase in the motor fuel index. Over the year, the electricity index was up 0.4 percent, while the utility (piped) gas service index was down 3.8 percent.

All items less food and energy

The index for all items less food and energy edged up 0.2 percent over the November pricing period, as increases were recorded for several indexes, most notably shelter (0.3 percent) and medical care (0.5 percent). In contrast, the apparel and education and communication indexes declined in November, down 2.2 and 0.6 percent, respectively.

Since November 2017, the index for all items less food and energy advanced 2.0 percent. The shelter index contributed to the increase, up 2.8 percent over the year.

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

Month	2014		2015		2016		2017		2018
	1-month	12-month	1-month	12-month	1-month	12-month	1-month	12-month	1-month	12-month
January	0.3	1.7	-0.7	-0.4	0.0	1.2	0.5	2.6	0.5	1.8
February	0.4	1.2	0.5	-0.3	0.1	0.7	0.2	2.8	0.6	2.1
March	0.6	1.5	0.6	-0.3	0.6	0.7	0.0	2.2	0.2	2.3
April	0.5	2.3	0.3	-0.6	0.4	0.9	0.2	2.0	0.4	2.4
May	0.2	2.4	0.4	-0.4	0.4	0.9	0.0	1.7	0.3	2.7
June	0.2	2.3	0.5	-0.1	0.4	0.8	0.2	1.5	0.2	2.7
July	-0.1	2.0	-0.1	-0.1	-0.2	0.7	-0.2	1.6	0.0	2.9
August	-0.2	1.7	-0.2	-0.2	0.1	1.0	0.4	1.9	-0.1	2.4
September	0.1	1.7	-0.2	-0.4	0.2	1.4	0.7	2.4	0.0	1.7
October	-0.3	1.6	0.0	-0.1	0.1	1.5	-0.2	2.0	0.2	2.1
November	-0.6	1.3	-0.2	0.3	-0.1	1.6	-0.1	2.1	-0.3	1.9
December	-0.6	0.6	-0.4	0.5	0.1	2.0	-0.1	1.8

The Consumer Price Index for December 2018 is scheduled to be released on Friday, January 11, 2019.

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 93 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 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 75 urban areas across the country from about 5,000 housing units and approximately 22,000 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/pdf/homch17.pdf.

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 cities; they only measure the average change in prices for each area since the base period.

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.

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-
	Sep. 2018	Oct. 2018	Nov. 2018	Nov. 2017	Sep. 2018	Oct. 2018
Expenditure category
All Items	243.640	244.163	243.484	1.9	-0.1	-0.3
All items (December 1977=100)	395.217	396.066	394.964	-	-	-
Food and beverages	251.273	251.239	251.631	1.2	0.1	0.2
Food	252.561	252.466	252.744	1.2	0.1	0.1
Food at home	238.207	238.189	238.032	0.3	-0.1	-0.1
Cereal and bakery products	278.437	277.865	278.637	-	0.1	0.3
Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs	243.757	242.710	242.231	-	-0.6	-0.2
Dairy and related products	219.356	218.877	220.979	-	0.7	1.0
Fruits and vegetables	285.400	285.141	285.236	-	-0.1	0.0
Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials	165.410	167.430	165.199	-	-0.1	-1.3
Other food at home	210.183	210.175	210.312	-	0.1	0.1
Food away from home	276.736	276.530	277.422	2.3	0.2	0.3
Alcoholic beverages	232.890	233.744	235.796	1.9	1.2	0.9
Housing	238.627	238.989	239.757	2.5	0.5	0.3
Shelter	275.119	275.920	276.653	2.8	0.6	0.3
Rent of primary residence	287.498	288.276	289.481	3.2	0.7	0.4
Owners' equiv. rent of residences(1)	277.038	277.819	278.984	2.8	0.7	0.4
Owners' equiv. rent of primary residence(1)	277.040	277.817	278.980	2.8	0.7	0.4
Fuels and utilities	237.359	235.374	237.051	1.1	-0.1	0.7
Household energy	190.981	188.748	189.242	0.0	-0.9	0.3
Energy services	190.939	188.647	189.142	-0.2	-0.9	0.3
Electricity	190.756	187.500	187.395	0.4	-1.8	-0.1
Utility (piped) gas service	175.843	180.423	185.026	-3.8	5.2	2.6
Household furnishings and operations	121.586	121.955	122.283	2.0	0.6	0.3
Apparel	135.366	137.831	134.732	0.7	-0.5	-2.2
Transportation	212.987	214.437	209.816	2.4	-1.5	-2.2
Private transportation	212.282	213.524	208.661	2.6	-1.7	-2.3
New and used motor vehicles(2)	100.958	101.108	101.541	1.2	0.6	0.4
New vehicles	153.034	152.485	152.461	0.4	-0.4	0.0
New cars and trucks(2)(3)	104.192	103.821	103.811	0.4	-0.4	0.0
New cars(3)	152.510	152.092	152.319	1.1	-0.1	0.1
Used cars and trucks	136.551	137.906	139.751	2.6	2.3	1.3
Motor fuel	239.321	242.376	220.347	3.8	-7.9	-9.1
Gasoline (all types)	238.033	240.989	218.687	3.6	-8.1	-9.3
Unleaded regular(3)	232.641	235.688	213.238	3.6	-8.3	-9.5
Unleaded midgrade(3)(4)	261.688	263.006	242.498	3.6	-7.3	-7.8
Unleaded premium(3)	257.734	259.851	241.205	3.8	-6.4	-7.2
Motor vehicle insurance(5)	946.764	956.145	957.014	-	1.1	0.1
Medical care	462.251	461.815	464.243	1.9	0.4	0.5
Medical care commodities	364.106	360.565	360.575	-1.6	-1.0	0.0
Medical care services	495.209	495.862	499.130	2.8	0.8	0.7
Professional services	363.837	363.710	364.146	1.6	0.1	0.1
Recreation(2)	119.052	118.512	119.058	1.5	0.0	0.5
Education and communication(2)	133.443	133.319	132.510	-0.3	-0.7	-0.6
Tuition, other school fees, and child care(5)	1,322.891	1,327.097	1,326.933	-	0.3	0.0
Other goods and services	426.409	428.279	429.039	1.6	0.6	0.2
Commodity and service group
All Items	243.640	244.163	243.484	1.9	-0.1	-0.3
Commodities	185.240	185.781	183.621	1.1	-0.9	-1.2
Commodities less food and beverages	153.630	154.344	151.405	0.9	-1.4	-1.9
Nondurables less food and beverages	206.119	207.688	200.035	1.4	-3.0	-3.7
Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel	249.511	250.669	240.410	1.7	-3.6	-4.1
Durables	106.672	106.785	107.068	0.5	0.4	0.3
Services	302.274	302.771	303.679	2.5	0.5	0.3
Rent of shelter(1)	282.464	283.298	284.049	2.8	0.6	0.3
Transportation services	357.432	360.639	361.090	3.2	1.0	0.1
Other services	343.782	343.476	343.575	1.4	-0.1	0.0
Special aggregate indexes
All items less medical care	231.684	232.252	231.423	1.9	-0.1	-0.4
All items less food	242.009	242.623	241.803	2.1	-0.1	-0.3
All items less shelter	232.344	232.764	231.548	1.5	-0.3	-0.5
Commodities less food	156.104	156.824	153.980	1.0	-1.4	-1.8
Nondurables	227.699	228.536	224.556	1.3	-1.4	-1.7
Nondurables less food	207.459	208.991	201.841	1.4	-2.7	-3.4
Nondurables less food and apparel	247.013	248.142	238.887	1.7	-3.3	-3.7
Services less rent of shelter(1)	336.609	336.714	337.843	2.1	0.4	0.3
Services less medical care services	284.812	285.292	286.011	2.4	0.4	0.3
Energy	209.748	210.142	199.670	2.2	-4.8	-5.0
All items less energy	248.221	248.760	249.187	1.9	0.4	0.2
All items less food and energy	247.871	248.518	248.971	2.0	0.4	0.2
Commodities less food and energy commodities	145.852	146.255	146.050	0.4	0.1	-0.1
Energy commodities	243.222	246.281	224.294	3.9	-7.8	-8.9
Services less energy services	314.033	314.836	315.788	2.7	0.6	0.3
Footnotes (1) Indexes on a December 1982=100 base. (2) Indexes on a December 1997=100 base. (3) Special index based on a substantially smaller sample. (4) Indexes on a December 1993=100 base. (5) Indexes on a December 1977=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.