BLS Report: CPI for all items falls 0.8% in April; gasoline, other declines outweigh food increases

[mahatmakanejeeves]

CPI for all items falls 0.8% in April; gasoline and other declines outweigh food increases

Economic News Release USDL-20-0918
Consumer Price Index Summary

Transmission of material in this release is embargoed until 8:30 a.m. (EDT) May 12, 2020

Technical information: [phone] • [e-mail] • www.bls.gov/cpi
Media Contact: [phone] • [e-mail]

CONSUMER PRICE INDEX – APRIL 2020

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) declined 0.8 percent in April on a seasonally adjusted basis, the largest monthly decline since December 2008, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 0.3 percent before seasonal adjustment.

A 20.6-percent decline in the gasoline index was the largest contributor to the monthly decrease in the seasonally adjusted all items index, but the indexes for apparel, motor vehicle insurance, airline fares, and lodging away from home all fell sharply as well. In contrast, food indexes rose in April, with the index for food at home posting its largest monthly increase since February 1974. The energy index declined mostly due to the decrease in the gasoline index, though some energy component indexes rose.

The index for all items less food and energy fell 0.4 percent in April, the largest monthly decline in the history of the series, which dates to 1957. Along with the indexes mentioned above, the indexes for used cars and trucks and recreation also declined. The indexes for rent, owners’ equivalent rent, medical care, and household furnishings and operations all increased in April.

The all items index increased 0.3 percent for the 12 months ending April, the smallest 12-month increase since October 2015. The index for all items less food and energy increased 1.4 percent over the last 12 months, its smallest increase since April 2011. The energy index fell 17.7 percent over the last year. In contrast, the food index rose 3.5 percent over the last 12 months, its largest 12-month increase since February 2012.

{snip a giant amount}

Contact Information

For additional information about the CPI visit www.bls.gov/cpi or contact the CPI Information and Analysis Section at 202-691-7000 or [e-mail].

For additional information on seasonal adjustment in the CPI visit www.bls.gov/cpi/seasonal-adjustment/home.htm or contact the CPI seasonal adjustment section at 202-691-6968 or [e-mail].

Information from this release will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon
request. Voice phone: [phone]; Federal Relay Service: 1-800-877-8339.
Table 1. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U. S. city average, by expenditure category
Table 2. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U. S. city average, by detailed expenditure category
Table 3. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U. S. city average, special aggregate indexes
Table 4. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): Selected areas, all items index
Table 5. Chained Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (C-CPI-U) and the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, all items index
Table 6. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by expenditure category, 1-month analysis table
Table 7. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by expenditure category, 12-month analysis table
HTML version of the entire news release
The PDF version of the news release
News release charts

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[center]Facilities for Sensory Impaired[/center]

Information from these releases will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: [phone], Federal Relay Services: 1-800-877-8339.

[jimfields33]

1. Ugh! Just thought of something.

Probably no raise for social security or federal pensions. Thanks virus!

[rzemanfl]

2. I've been on the same tankful for at least six weeks.

I eat every day though. Silly me.

[progree]

3. Summary: CPI: April: -0.8%, 12 months: +0.3%, # Core CPI: April: -0.4%, 12 months: +1.4%, n/t