By Nick Dobbins
April 2021
The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.6 percent in March on a seasonally adjusted basis after rising 0.4 percent in February, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. The increase was the largest rise since a 0.6-percent increase in August 2012. The gasoline index continued to increase, rising 9.1 percent in March and accounting for nearly half of the seasonally adjusted increase in the all items index. The natural gas index also rose, contributing to a 5.0 percent increase in the energy index over the month. The food index rose 0.1 percent in March, with the food at home index and the food away from home index both also rising 0.1 percent. The index for all items less food and energy rose 0.3 percent in March. The shelter index increased as did the motor vehicle insurance index, the recreation index, and the household furnishings and operations index. Indices which decreased over the month include apparel and education.
The all items index rose 2.6 percent for the 12 months ending March, a much larger increase than the 1.7-percent reported for the period ending in February. The index for all items less food and energy rose 1.6 percent after increasing 1.3 percent over the 12-month period ending in February. The food index rose 3.5 percent over the last 12 months, while the energy index increased 13.2 percent over that period.
