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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

16-1503-PHI
Friday, July 15, 2016

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:

Consumer Price Index, Northeast Region – June 2016

Regional prices up 0.2 percent over the month and 0.8 percent over the year

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) in the Northeast edged up 0.2 percent in June, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Sheila Watkins, the Bureau’s regional commissioner, noted that the recent increase was due to a 2.3-percent rise in the energy index and a 0.1-percent advance in the all items less food and energy index. Partially offsetting the overall increase was a one-month decrease in the food index, down 0.1 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 Northeast all items CPI-U increased 0.8 percent, due to a 1.9-percent advance in the all items less food and energy index. (See chart 1 and table A.) The over-the-year increase was moderated by a 9.7-percent decline in the energy index. The food index was unchanged since June 2015. (See table 1.)

Food

The food index inched down 0.1 percent since May. Prices for one of its two components, food at home, decreased 0.3 percent, while prices for the other, food away from home, increased 0.3 percent over the month.

From June 2015 to June 2016, the food index was unchanged. Prices for food at home decreased 1.9 percent over the year, while those for food away from home increased 2.6 percent.

Energy

The energy index, which includes prices for household and transportation fuels, increased 2.3 percent since May, due mostly to a 3.1-percent rise in electricity prices and a 2.1-percent rise in gasoline prices. Utility (piped) gas service prices also rose over the month, up 0.3 percent.

The energy index fell 9.7 percent since June 2015, led by a 14.7-percent drop in gasoline prices. Prices for electricity and utility (piped) gas service also decreased over the year, down 3.5 and 1.1 percent, respectively.

All items less food and energy

The index for all items less food and energy inched up 0.1 percent in June, led by higher prices for shelter (0.4 percent). Prices for medical care also increased, up 0.5 percent over the month. Nearly offsetting the increase in the all items less food and energy index was a 2.7-percent seasonal decrease in apparel prices, among others.

Over the year, the index for all items less food and energy increased 1.9 percent, led by higher prices for shelter (2.9 percent). Prices were also higher over the year for other categories including medical care (4.1 percent) and education and communication (2.0 percent).

Table A. Northeast region CPI-U 1-month and 12-month percent changes, all items index, not seasonally adjusted
Month 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
1-month 12-month 1-month 12-month 1-month 12-month 1-month 12-month 1-month 12-month

January

0.4 2.9 0.3 1.8 0.6 1.5 -0.2 -0.4 0.0 0.7

February

0.4 2.8 0.6 2.0 0.1 1.0 0.2 -0.2 0.2 0.7

March

0.5 2.5 0.0 1.5 0.5 1.5 0.3 -0.4 0.2 0.6

April

0.3 2.3 -0.1 1.1 0.0 1.6 0.1 -0.3 0.6 1.0

May

-0.1 1.7 0.0 1.2 0.4 2.0 0.4 -0.3 0.3 0.9

June

-0.2 1.5 0.1 1.5 0.0 1.9 0.3 0.0 0.2 0.8

July

-0.1 1.1 0.2 1.8 0.1 1.8 -0.1 -0.2    

August

0.5 1.3 0.2 1.5 -0.3 1.3 -0.2 -0.1    

September

0.5 1.7 0.1 1.1 0.0 1.2 0.0 -0.1    

October

0.1 1.9 -0.4 0.7 -0.2 1.4 -0.2 -0.1    

November

-0.2 1.8 0.1 1.0 -0.4 0.9 0.0 0.3    

December

-0.3 1.8 0.0 1.3 -0.5 0.4 -0.4 0.5    

The Consumer Price Index for July 2016 is scheduled to be released Tuesday, August 16, 2016, 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 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 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.

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 Northeast region is comprised of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

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, Northeast Region, (1982-84=100 unless otherwise noted) (not seasonally adjusted)
Expenditure categoryIndexesPercent change from
 
Historical
data
Apr.
2016
May
2016
Jun.
2016
Jun.
2015
Apr.
2016
May
2016

All items

Jump to page with historical data
254.270255.021255.5320.80.50.2

All items (December 1977 = 100)

Jump to page with historical data
400.397401.581402.384   
 

Food and beverages

Jump to page with historical data
253.098251.988251.8110.0-0.5-0.1

Food

Jump to page with historical data
253.153252.040251.8910.0-0.5-0.1

Food at home

Jump to page with historical data
247.349245.302244.570-1.9-1.1-0.3

Food away from home

Jump to page with historical data
265.001265.316266.0642.60.40.3

Alcoholic beverages

Jump to page with historical data
251.194250.139249.5920.4-0.6-0.2
 

Housing

Jump to page with historical data
267.721268.462269.7521.70.80.5

Shelter

Jump to page with historical data
331.180332.503333.8092.90.80.4

Rent of primary residence (1)

Jump to page with historical data
332.609333.497333.8852.90.40.1

Owners' equivalent rent of residences (1) (2)

Jump to page with historical data
342.984343.877345.2672.80.70.4

Owners' equivalent rent of primary residence (1) (2)

Jump to page with historical data
342.709343.604344.9912.80.70.4

Fuels and utilities

Jump to page with historical data
206.666205.628209.618-3.61.41.9

Household energy

Jump to page with historical data
181.920180.656184.895-5.11.62.3

Energy services (1)

Jump to page with historical data
185.770183.015187.310-3.00.82.3

Electricity (1)

Jump to page with historical data
196.766193.940199.940-3.51.63.1

Utility (piped) gas service (1)

Jump to page with historical data
149.311146.902147.273-1.1-1.40.3

Household furnishings and operations

Jump to page with historical data
122.538122.689122.032-2.1-0.4-0.5
 

Apparel

Jump to page with historical data
132.911132.910129.3570.4-2.7-2.7
 

Transportation

Jump to page with historical data
195.913199.134199.495-3.51.80.2

Private transportation

Jump to page with historical data
186.608189.500189.906-3.91.80.2

New and used motor vehicles (3)

Jump to page with historical data
97.94698.01097.405-1.4-0.6-0.6

New vehicles

Jump to page with historical data
145.410145.390145.220-0.5-0.1-0.1

New cars and trucks (3) (4)

Jump to page with historical data
100.740100.720100.601-0.5-0.1-0.1

New cars (4)

Jump to page with historical data
137.174136.986136.206-1.6-0.7-0.6

Used cars and trucks

Jump to page with historical data
154.668154.544153.492-3.1-0.8-0.7

Motor fuel

Jump to page with historical data
181.944194.905199.089-14.89.42.1

Gasoline (all types)

Jump to page with historical data
181.275194.228198.374-14.79.42.1

Gasoline, unleaded regular (4)

Jump to page with historical data
178.765191.798195.996-15.59.62.2

Gasoline, unleaded midgrade (4) (5)

Jump to page with historical data
194.214207.412211.598-12.19.02.0

Gasoline, unleaded premium (4)

Jump to page with historical data
191.315203.184206.724-11.08.11.7
 

Medical care

Jump to page with historical data
482.472484.043486.3914.10.80.5

Medical care commodities

Jump to page with historical data
383.681386.506392.4623.92.31.5

Medical care services

Jump to page with historical data
510.297511.420512.5094.20.40.2

Professional services

Jump to page with historical data
369.611370.515371.3002.40.50.2
 

Recreation (3)

Jump to page with historical data
121.453121.149121.264-0.3-0.20.1
 

Education and communication (3)

Jump to page with historical data
140.887140.730140.8442.00.00.1
 

Other goods and services

Jump to page with historical data
459.280458.073459.0811.60.00.2
 

Commodity and service group

 

Commodities

Jump to page with historical data
185.241185.990185.727-2.30.3-0.1

Commodities less food and beverages

Jump to page with historical data
148.423149.887149.603-3.90.8-0.2

Nondurables less food and beverages

Jump to page with historical data
184.211187.635187.694-4.71.90.0

Durables

Jump to page with historical data
106.343106.142105.620-2.3-0.7-0.5

Services

Jump to page with historical data
321.041321.813323.0182.40.60.4
 

Special aggregate indexes

 

All items less shelter

Jump to page with historical data
227.908228.455228.676-0.40.30.1

All items less medical care

Jump to page with historical data
244.247244.963245.3920.50.50.2

Commodities less food

Jump to page with historical data
152.128153.527153.235-3.70.7-0.2

Nondurables

Jump to page with historical data
218.360219.678219.626-2.20.60.0

Nondurables less food

Jump to page with historical data
188.127191.284191.307-4.31.70.0

Services less rent of shelter (2)

Jump to page with historical data
321.303321.504322.6331.80.40.4

Services less medical care services

Jump to page with historical data
307.983308.730309.9402.20.60.4

Energy

Jump to page with historical data
182.145186.534190.756-9.74.72.3

All items less energy

Jump to page with historical data
264.208264.601264.7411.60.20.1

All items less food and energy

Jump to page with historical data
267.868268.516268.7071.90.30.1

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) Indexes 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.

Note: Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.

 

Last Modified Date: Friday, July 15, 2016