November 17, 2005 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

CPI in October 2005

On a seasonally adjusted basis, the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.2 percent in October.

[Chart data—TXT]

Energy costs, which had risen sharply in each of the previous three months, declined 0.2 percent in October. Within energy, a 5.2-percent increase in the index for household fuels was more than offset by a 4.4-percent decline in the index for motor fuels.

The index for food rose 0.3 percent in October, the same as in September. The index for all items less food and energy rose 0.2 percent in October, following increases of 0.1 percent in each of the preceding five months.

For the 12 months ended in October 2005, the CPI-U rose 4.3 percent, as shown in the chart.

These data are from the BLS Consumer Price Index program. To learn more about changes in consumer prices see "Consumer Price Index: October 2005" (PDF) (TXT), news release USDL 05-2192.