November 19, 2003 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

CPI unchanged in October

On a seasonally adjusted basis, the Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers (CPI-U) was unchanged in October, following increases of 0.3 percent in each of the preceding two months.

[Chart data—TXT]

Energy costs, which advanced sharply in August and September, turned down in October, declining 3.9 percent. Within energy, the index for petroleum-based energy declined 6.6 percent and the index for energy services fell 1.1 percent.

The index for food rose 0.6 percent with the index for food at home up 0.7 percent. A 1.8-percent increase in the index for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs accounted for over 60 percent of the increase in grocery store food prices.

The index for all items less food and energy increased 0.2 percent in October after advancing 0.1 percent in each of the preceding two months, principally reflecting a larger increase in the index for shelter.

For the 12-month period ended in October, the CPI-U increased 2.0 percent (as shown in the chart).

These data are from the BLS Consumer Price Index program. Find out more in "Consumer Price Index: October 2003" (PDF) (TXT), news release USDL 03-734.