Bureau of Labor Statistics
Internet Address: www.bls.gov/ro2/home.htm For release: Thursday, October 16, 2008 Media Contact: Michael L. Dolfman,(212) 337-2500 Information: Martin Kohli,(646) 264-3620
Northeast Region Consumer Price Index: September 2008
Retail prices in the Northeast region, as measured by the
Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), fell 0.4
percent in September, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S.
Department of Labor reported today. Michael L. Dolfman, the
Bureau's regional commissioner, noted that the recent decline was
the largest over-the-month decrease since October 2006. Lower
prices for housing and transportation led the way, while higher
prices in the other six major categories moderated the overall
decline. The September level of 232.841 (1982-84=100) was 5.2
percent higher than a year ago. Over the same period, the core
inflation rate, as measured by the all items less food and energy
index, rose 2.8 percent. (See table 1.)
The housing index fell 1.3 percent in September-the largest
decrease since one-month percent changes for this index were
first published in January 1987-due largely to lower prices for
fuels and utilities. The fuels and utilities index was down 5.7
percent over the month as prices for both electricity (-6.0
percent) and utility (piped) gas service (-7.4 percent) declined.
Since September 2007, electricity and utility gas service prices
increased 6.8 and 17.6 percent, respectively. The fuels and
utilities index rose 15.7 percent over the year. The shelter
index (which includes rent of primary residence, lodging away
from home, owners' equivalent rent of primary residence, and
tenants' and household insurance) also contributed to the recent
decline in the overall housing index, falling 0.6 percent since
August. Over the last 12 months, the shelter index rose 2.3
percent. Prices for household furnishings and operations, the
third component of the housing index, were unchanged in September
but were 0.8 percent higher than last year. Since September
2007, the overall housing index advanced 3.9 percent.
The transportation index declined 1.7 percent over the
month, dominated by lower gasoline prices, which fell 4.9 percent
in September after decreasing 7.1 percent in August. Despite the
recent declines, gasoline prices were 31.3 percent higher than
last year. The transportation index advanced 10.3 percent over
the last 12 months.
The remaining categories had higher prices in September.
Following normal seasonal patterns, the apparel index jumped 7.2
percent from August to September. The recent one-month increase
was the largest since September 1988. Over the year, apparel
prices rose 2.6 percent.
The food and beverages index advanced 0.8 percent since
August led by nearly equal rises in prices for food at home and
food away from home. The food at home index rose 0.9 percent in
September and was 7.8 percent higher than last year. The food
away from home index increased 0.8 percent over the month and 4.6
percent over the year. Prices for alcoholic beverages edged up
0.2 percent over the month to a level 4.7 percent higher than a
year ago. The overall food and beverages index advanced 6.2
percent over the last 12 months-the largest 12-month advance
since March 1990.
The education and communication index rose 0.6 percent in
September and was 4.8 percent higher than a year ago.
Recreation prices inched up 0.1 percent in September to a
level 2.5 percent higher than last year.
The other goods and services index edged up 0.2 percent
since August. Over the year, the other goods and services index
(which includes tobacco and smoking products, personal care
products and services, and miscellaneous personal services such
as legal, funeral, and laundry and dry cleaning services) was 4.9
percent higher.
Medical care prices inched up 0.1 percent in September, due
entirely to a 0.3-percent increase in prices for medical care
commodities. Prices for medical care services were unchanged
over the month. Since last September, prices rose 3.2 percent
for both of these components. Medical care prices also rose 3.2
percent over the last 12 months.
The energy index, which reflects prices for gasoline and
household fuels, fell 5.7 percent in September, reflecting lower
prices for gasoline (-4.9 percent), electricity (-6.0 percent),
and utility (piped) gas service (-7.4 percent). Due to 8
increases in the last 12 months, the energy index was 23.5
percent higher than its year-ago level.
The Northeast region is comprised of Connecticut, Maine,
Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania,
Rhode Island, and Vermont.
NYLS - 7351 Labor - New York
10/16/08
The relative importance of a component of the CPI is its
expenditure or value weight expressed as a percentage of all
items within an area. Relative importance ratios show
approximately how the index population distributes expenditures
when the value weights are collected and represent an estimate of
how consumers would distribute their expenditures as prices
change over time. Relative importance ratios cannot be used as
estimates of current spending patterns or as indicators of
changing consumer expenditures in the intervals between weight
revisions because consumption patterns are influenced by
factors-including income, variations in climate, family size, and
availability of new and different kinds of goods and
services-other than price change. (See table A.)
Table A (2005-2006 Weights). Relative importance of components
in the Consumer Price Index, Northeast Region, December 2007
------------------------------------------------------------
Item and group CPI-U
------------------------------------------------------------
Expenditure category
All items 100.000
Food and beverages 15.009
Food 13.961
Food at home 7.703
Food away from home 6.258
Alcoholic beverages 1.048
Housing 44.377
Shelter 34.775
Rent of primary residence 6.527
Owners' equivalent rent of primary residence 24.696
Fuels and utilities 5.691
Household energy 5.043
Gas (piped) and electricity 3.983
Electricity 2.617
Utility (piped) gas service 1.366
Household furnishings and operations 3.911
Apparel 3.697
Transportation 16.030
Private transportation 14.685
New and used motor vehicles 6.306
New vehicles 4.093
Used cars and trucks 1.315
Motor fuel 4.643
Gasoline (all types) 4.472
Medical care 5.780
Medical care commodities 1.469
Medical care services 4.311
Professional services 2.512
Recreation 5.387
Education and communication 6.455
Other goods and services 3.265
Commodity and service group
Commodities 38.761
Commodities less food and beverages 23.752
Nondurables less food and beverages 14.799
Durables 8.954
Services 61.239
Special aggregate indexes
All items less medical care 94.220
All items less shelter 65.225
Commodities less food 24.800
Nondurables 29.807
Nondurables less food 15.846
Services less rent of shelter 26.745
Services less medical care services 56.928
Energy 9.686
All items less energy 90.314
All items less food and energy 76.353
------------------------------------------------------------
Table 1. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): Indexes and percent changes for selected periods
Northeast (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.................................... 234.545 233.788 232.841 5.2 -0.7 -0.4
All items (December 1977=100) ............... 369.336 368.145 366.653 - - -
Food and beverages.......................... 219.381 220.693 222.510 6.2 1.4 .8
Food....................................... 219.022 220.373 222.287 6.4 1.5 .9
Food at home.............................. 219.811 221.916 223.897 7.8 1.9 .9
Food away from home....................... 221.073 221.490 223.347 4.6 1.0 .8
Alcoholic beverages........................ 222.971 223.754 224.228 4.7 .6 .2
Housing..................................... 248.478 247.506 244.361 3.9 -1.7 -1.3
Shelter.................................... 289.487 288.753 287.076 2.3 -.8 -.6
Rent of primary residence 1/.............. 275.313 276.510 276.956 4.1 .6 .2
Owners' equivalent rent of primary
residence 1/ 2/....................... 293.833 294.241 294.573 1.7 .3 .1
Fuels and utilities........................ 255.437 251.685 237.234 15.7 -7.1 -5.7
Household energy.......................... 244.871 240.427 224.987 16.8 -8.1 -6.4
Gas (piped) and electricity 1/........... 231.272 231.892 216.936 10.6 -6.2 -6.4
Electricity 1/.......................... 203.777 209.483 197.014 6.8 -3.3 -6.0
Utility (piped) gas service 1/.......... 284.371 272.050 251.863 17.6 -11.4 -7.4
Household furnishings and operations....... 128.437 128.708 128.767 .8 .3 .0
Apparel..................................... 111.732 115.467 123.837 2.6 10.8 7.2
Transportation.............................. 209.419 203.979 200.550 10.3 -4.2 -1.7
Private transportation..................... 203.358 197.550 194.266 10.3 -4.5 -1.7
New and used motor vehicles 3/............ 93.137 92.342 92.466 .0 -.7 .1
New vehicles............................. 134.549 133.435 132.905 -.7 -1.2 -.4
New cars and trucks 3/ 4/............... 93.256 92.474 92.093 -.9 -1.2 -.4
New cars (4)............................ 133.794 132.564 132.657 -.2 -.8 .1
Used cars and trucks..................... 140.913 140.617 138.085 -2.8 -2.0 -1.8
Motor fuel................................ 339.083 314.987 299.487 31.5 -11.7 -4.9
Gasoline (all types)..................... 336.470 312.446 297.278 31.3 -11.6 -4.9
Gasoline, unleaded regular 4/........... 340.279 315.178 299.584 31.8 -12.0 -4.9
Gasoline, unleaded midgrade 4/ 5/....... 339.074 316.706 301.735 30.7 -11.0 -4.7
Gasoline, unleaded premium 4/........... 319.942 299.123 285.714 29.4 -10.7 -4.5
Medical care................................ 388.202 388.040 388.311 3.2 .0 .1
Medical care commodities................... 319.574 318.709 319.816 3.2 .1 .3
Medical care services...................... 406.302 406.451 406.351 3.2 .0 .0
Professional services..................... 318.681 318.928 318.319 2.9 -.1 -.2
Recreation 3/............................... 115.904 116.027 116.159 2.5 0.2 0.1
Education and communication 3/.............. 126.702 128.371 129.150 4.8 1.9 .6
Other goods and services.................... 373.338 373.378 374.085 4.9 .2 .2
Commodity and service group
All items.................................... 234.545 233.788 232.841 5.2 -.7 -.4
Commodities................................. 185.942 184.282 184.296 7.4 -.9 .0
Commodities less food and beverages........ 164.297 161.346 160.541 8.2 -2.3 -.5
Nondurables less food and beverages....... 213.027 207.674 206.859 14.3 -2.9 -.4
Nondurables less food, beverages, and
apparel.............................. 290.819 278.847 271.460 18.8 -6.7 -2.6
Durables.................................. 109.797 109.305 108.547 -1.4 -1.1 -.7
Services.................................... 282.128 282.261 280.369 3.7 -.6 -.7
Rent of shelter 2/ ........................ 302.827 302.056 300.282 2.3 -.8 -.6
Transportation services.................... 234.822 235.198 236.388 6.2 .7 .5
Other services............................. 316.392 318.651 320.066 4.3 1.2 .4
Special aggregate indexes
All items less medical care.................. 227.481 226.709 225.727 5.3 -.8 -.4
All items less food.......................... 237.559 236.435 234.989 5.0 -1.1 -.6
All items less shelter....................... 216.295 215.519 214.843 6.7 -.7 -.3
Commodities less food........................ 166.727 163.876 163.107 8.1 -2.2 -.5
Nondurables.................................. 217.499 215.290 215.725 10.1 -.8 .2
Nondurables less food........................ 213.482 208.488 207.747 13.6 -2.7 -.4
Nondurables less food and apparel............ 281.857 271.208 264.637 17.4 -6.1 -2.4
Services less rent of shelter 2/............. 283.973 285.197 282.986 5.5 -.3 -.8
Services less medical care services.......... 272.946 273.077 271.115 3.8 -.7 -.7
Energy....................................... 284.330 271.624 256.169 23.5 -9.9 -5.7
All items less energy........................ 231.345 231.869 232.476 3.3 .5 .3
All items less food and energy.............. 235.040 235.402 235.753 2.8 .3 .1
Commodities less food and energy
commodities............................ 141.711 142.472 144.267 1.3 1.8 1.3
Energy commodities......................... 356.217 330.002 312.880 33.5 -12.2 -5.2
Services less energy services.............. 287.234 287.320 286.706 3.2 -.2 -.2
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/ Indexes on a December 1997=100 base.
4/ Special index based on a substantially smaller sample.
5/ Indexes on a December 1993=100 base.
- Data not available.
Last Modified Date: October 17, 2008
