Bureau of Labor Statistics
Internet Address: http://www.bls.gov/ro2/home.htm Transmission of material in Media Contact: Michael L. Dolfman,(212) 337-2500 this release is embargoed Information: Martin Kohli,(646) 264-3620 until after 8:30 A.M. (EDT) Thursday, October 16, 2008
NEW YORK-NORTHERN NEW JERSEY CPI DOWN 0.2 PERCENT IN SEPTEMBER,
5.2 PERCENT INCREASE FROM YEAR AGO
Retail prices in the greater New York area, as measured by the
Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), edged down 0.2
percent in September, the first drop in 13 months. Michael L.
Dolfman, Regional Commissioner of the U. S. Department of Labor's
Bureau of Labor Statistics, said the September index reflected
decreases in the CPI's energy components. The price index for energy
dropped 7.3 percent, after declining 3.7 percent in August and
increasing in every month from March through July. (See chart A.)
These decreases were largely offset by higher prices for shelter,
apparel, and food. For the year ended in September 2008, the CPI-U
advanced 5.2 percent. Core inflation, as measured by the index for
all items less food and energy, was up 3.2 percent over the year.
The housing index declined 0.8 percent in September, after four
consecutive monthly increases. The September decrease was primarily
due to an 8.9-percent drop in household energy, following a modest
decline of 0.3 percent in August and increases in every month from
April through July. Within this component, electricity and natural
gas decreased 13.0 and 2.7 percent, respectively. Despite the
declines in both August and September, the index for household energy
climbed 16.5 percent over the year. Shelter, which accounts for
roughly 40 percent of the CPI-U for the greater New York area, edged
up 0.2 percent in September.
New York-Northern New Jersey CPI monthly and annual percent changes
(not seasonally adjusted)
| 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008
Month | Mo | Ann | Mo | Ann | Mo | Ann | Mo | Ann | Mo | Ann | Mo | Ann
January 0.8 3.3 0.3 2.7 0.6 4.1 0.8 3.7 0.2 2.7 0.2 3.7
February 0.8 3.3 0.6 2.5 0.4 3.9 0.2 3.6 0.6 3.1 0.5 3.6
March 0.5 3.1 1.1 3.2 1.7 4.4 0.8 2.7 0.7 2.9 0.9 3.8
April -0.2 2.6 0.3 3.7 0.0 4.2 0.9 3.6 0.5 2.5 0.3 3.6
May 0.1 2.8 0.2 3.9 -0.5 3.4 0.6 4.8 0.6 2.5 1.0 4.0
June 0.1 2.8 0.8 4.6 -0.3 2.3 0.5 5.6 0.5 2.5 1.0 4.5
July 0.4 3.0 -0.2 3.9 0.9 3.4 0.2 5.0 0.2 2.5 0.7 5.1
August 0.7 3.1 0.1 3.3 0.8 4.1 0.4 4.7 -0.1 1.9 0.1 5.4
September 0.3 3.3 0.1 3.2 0.8 4.8 -0.5 3.3 0.0 2.4 -0.2 5.2
October 0.2 3.3 0.7 3.7 0.4 4.5 -0.5 2.4 0.1 3.1
November -0.3 3.1 0.0 3.9 -0.6 3.9 -0.4 2.6 0.4 3.9
December -0.1 3.2 -0.2 3.8 -0.5 3.6 0.2 3.3 0.0 3.7
Also reflecting decreases in energy costs, the transportation
index declined 1.6 percent in September, following a 2.7-percent drop
in August. The price of gasoline retreated 5.6 percent in September,
after declining 7.4 percent in August. As with the household energy
index, the transportation index rose 10.1 percent over the year,
despite two consecutive months of declines.
The apparel index rose 7.1 percent in September, led by higher
prices for women's outerwear and dresses, not unusual at this time of
year. From September 2007, apparel prices rose 3.6 percent, the
highest over-the-year increase since August 2005.
Following a 0.6-percent increase in August, the food and beverages
index rose 1.0 percent in September. Food at home prices rose 1.1
percent, while food away from home rose 1.0 percent. The September
food at home index included higher prices for ground beef, breakfast
cereal, carbonated drinks, and other poultry including turkey. Since
September 2007 grocery prices have climbed 8.4 percent, the largest
12-month increase in over 21 years.
The education and communication index edged up 0.2 percent in
September, with rising prices for childcare contributing to the
increase. The other expenditure categories (medical care,
recreation, and other goods and services) were little changed.
With the New York-Northern New Jersey Consumer Price Index for All
Urban Consumers at 240.089 in September (1982-84=100), $24.09 was
required to purchase what $10 could in the 1982-84 base period. The
purchasing power of the dollar was 41.7 cents in 1982-84 dollars and
14.4 cents in 1967 dollars. In September, the Consumer Price Index
for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) was 234.703, down
0.3 percent over the month. The CPI-W rose 5.6 percent over the
year. On a 1967 base, the September CPI-W was 668.259.
Data in this report are not seasonally adjusted. Accordingly,
month-to-month changes may reflect the impact of seasonal influences.
The New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-CT-PA
consolidated area comprises the five boroughs of New York City,
Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, and Orange
Counties in New York State; Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Mercer,
Monmouth, Middlesex, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union
and Warren Counties in New Jersey; Fairfield County and parts of
Litchfield, New Haven and Middlesex Counties in Connecticut; and Pike
County in Pennsylvania.
NYLS - 7350 Labor - New York
10/14/08
Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): Indexes and percent changes for selected periods
New York-Northern N.J.-Long Island, NY-NJ-CT-PA (1982-84=100 unless otherwise noted)
Indexes Percent change from-
Item and Group
July Aug. Sep. Sep. July Aug.
2008 2008 2008 2007 2008 2008
Expenditure category
All items............................... 240.273 240.550 240.089 5.2 -0.1 -0.2
All items (1967=100).................... 694.595 695.396 694.064 - - -
Food and beverages..................... 223.278 224.520 226.728 6.6 1.5 1.0
Food.................................. 222.523 223.732 226.022 6.8 1.6 1.0
Food at home......................... 223.293 225.000 227.432 8.4 1.9 1.1
Food away from home.................. 227.536 228.174 230.353 4.8 1.2 1.0
Alcoholic beverages................... 230.313 232.027 232.965 4.7 1.2 .4
Housing................................ 259.706 260.568 258.439 4.5 -.5 -.8
Shelter............................... 307.161 308.643 309.178 3.8 .7 .2
Rent of primary residence 1/......... 297.326 299.103 299.508 5.4 .7 .1
Owners' equivalent rent of primary
residence 1/ 2/.................. 313.335 314.378 314.933 3.3 .5 .2
Fuels and utilities................... 236.499 235.786 216.646 15.5 -8.4 -8.1
Household energy ................... 242.451 241.662 220.224 16.5 -9.2 -8.9
Gas (piped) and electricity 1/...... 223.953 227.868 205.583 10.6 -8.2 -9.8
Electricity 1/..................... 206.046 220.254 191.571 8.4 -7.0 -13.0
Utility (piped) gas service 1/..... 256.392 236.195 229.714 12.8 -10.4 -2.7
Household furnishings and operations.. 127.691 127.318 127.420 -1.9 -.2 .1
Apparel................................ 106.470 111.287 119.185 3.6 11.9 7.1
Transportation......................... 218.149 212.162 208.757 10.1 -4.3 -1.6
Private transportation................ 208.336 201.938 198.879 10.3 -4.5 -1.5
Motor fuel........................... 319.030 295.412 278.997 31.2 -12.5 -5.6
Gasoline (all types)................ 317.421 293.916 277.603 31.1 -12.5 -5.6
Gasoline, unleaded regular 3/...... 323.309 297.984 281.104 32.0 -13.1 -5.7
Gasoline, unleaded midgrade 3/ 4/.. 314.032 294.113 277.454 30.1 -11.6 -5.7
Gasoline, unleaded premium 3/...... 308.351 287.718 273.482 28.6 -11.3 -4.9
Medical care........................... 369.528 369.816 368.930 1.8 -.2 -.2
Recreation 5/.......................... 115.350 115.423 115.340 .7 .0 -.1
Education and communication 5/......... 129.762 131.880 132.151 3.6 1.8 .2
Other goods and services............... 352.966 352.883 353.597 4.4 .2 .2
Commodity and service group
All items............................... 240.273 240.550 240.089 5.2 -.1 -.2
Commodities............................ 186.181 184.969 185.511 6.9 -.4 .3
Commodities less
food and beverages................ 159.077 156.739 156.450 7.0 -1.7 -.2
Nondurables less food and beverages.. 200.119 196.430 196.667 13.1 -1.7 .1
Durables............................. 106.819 106.094 105.221 -3.9 -1.5 -.8
Services............................... 286.672 288.192 286.893 4.3 0.1 -0.5
Special aggregate indexes
All items less medical care............. 234.288 234.562 234.119 5.3 -.1 -.2
All items less shelter.................. 214.322 214.078 213.176 6.0 -.5 -.4
Commodities less food................... 162.241 160.006 159.751 6.9 -1.5 -.2
Nondurables............................. 214.380 212.998 214.185 9.7 -.1 .6
Nondurables less food................... 202.415 199.000 199.276 12.5 -1.6 .1
Services less rent of shelter 2/........ 274.238 275.872 272.156 4.9 -.8 -1.3
Services less medical care services..... 279.306 280.888 279.599 4.4 .1 -.5
Energy.................................. 275.268 264.974 245.543 22.8 -10.8 -7.3
All items less energy................... 238.515 239.829 241.221 3.7 1.1 .6
All items less food and energy......... 242.923 244.264 245.494 3.2 1.1 .5
1/ This index series was calculated using a Laspeyres estimator. All other item stratum index series
were calculated using a geometric means estimator.
2/ Index is on a December 1982=100 base.
3/ Special index based on a substantially smaller sample.
4/ Indexes on a December 1993=100 base.
5/ Indexes on a December 1997=100 base.
- Data not available.
Last Modified Date: October 16, 2008
