The Consumer Price Index increased 0.2% in February on a seasonally adjusted annual basis, after rising 0.5% in January, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. Over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 2.8% before seasonal adjustment.
The index for all items less food and energy, the “core CPI”, rose 0.2% in February, after rising 0.4% in January, and 3.1% over the last 12 months.
The index for shelter rose 0.3% in January, accounting for nearly 50% of the monthly all items increase.
The index for food increased 0.2% in February, after rising 0.4% in January. The food at home index was unchanged over the month as declines in four of the six major grocery store food group indexes were offset by increases in the remaining two. The index for other food at home decreased 0.5% in February as did the index for fruits and vegetables and the index for nonalcoholic beverages. The dairy and related products index declined 1.0% over the month. The index for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs rose 1.6 percent in February, driven primarily by a 10.4% increase in the index for eggs.
The energy index increased 0.2% in January, after rising 1.1% in January. The gasoline index decreased 1.0% over the month. The index for natural gas and energy rose 2.5% and 1.0% respectively. The energy index edged down 0.2% over the past 12 months. The gasoline index fell 3.1% over this 12-month span and the fuel oil index fell 5.1% over that period. In contrast, the index for electricity increased 2.5% over the last 12 months and the index for natural gas rose 6.0%.
Read the BLS release.
