June 18, 2003 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Consumer prices unchanged in May

On a seasonally adjusted basis, the Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers (CPI-U) was unchanged in May, following a 0.3-percent decline in April.

[Chart data—TXT]

Energy costs, which rose sharply in each of the first three months of the year, declined sharply for the second consecutive month—down 3.1 percent in May. Within energy, the index for petroleum-based energy declined 6.7 percent, while the index for energy services increased 0.5 percent.

The index for food rose 0.3 percent, following a 0.1-percent decrease in April. The index for food at home increased 0.4 percent, largely reflecting an upturn in the index for fruits and vegetables. The index for all items less food and energy, which was unchanged in March and April, increased 0.3 percent in May. Most of the increase was accounted for by shelter costs, which rose 0.6 percent in May after a 0.1-percent increase in April.

For the 12-month period ended in May, the CPI-U rose 2.1 percent. 

These data are from the BLS Consumer Price Index program. Find out more in "Consumer Price Index: May 2003" (PDF) (TXT), news release USDL-03-311.