April 2013
On a seasonally adjusted basis the March CPI-U for all items decreased 0.2 percent over the month. The index increased 1.5 percent from March 2012, not seasonally adjusted. The monthly decrease was dominated by an abrupt decline in energy prices. The index for gasoline fell by 4.4 percent in March. Despite a large gain in the index last month, March's decline is a return to the trend for most of the last six months and contributes to a 3.1 percent over-the-year decline. Food prices were flat over the month. In the index for all items less food and energy, results for various categories were increases of less than 0.5 percent. The exceptions were in used cars and trucks (+ 1.2 percent) and in apparel (- 1.0 percent). There was an overall monthly gain of 0.1 percent and a 12-month gain of 1.9 percent.
