May 2024
The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.3 percent in April on a seasonally adjusted basis after rising 0.4 percent in March, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. The index for shelter rose, as did the index for gasoline. Combined, these two indices contributed over seventy percent of the monthly increase in the index for all items. The energy index rose 1.1 percent over the month. The food index was unchanged. The food at home index declined 0.2 percent, while the food away from home index rose 0.3 percent. The index for all items less food and energy rose 0.3 percent in April, after rising 0.4 percent in each of the three preceding months. Indices which increased in April include shelter, motor vehicle insurance, medical care, apparel, and personal care. The indices for used cars and trucks, household furnishings and operations, and new vehicles were among those that decreased over the month.
The all items index rose 3.4 percent for the 12 months ending April, a smaller increase than the 3.5 percent increase for the 12 months ending March. The all items less food and energy index rose 3.6 percent. The energy index increased 2.6 percent. The food index increased 2.2 percent.