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. (ET) Friday, February 20, 2009 NEW YORK-NORTHERN NEW JERSEY CPI EDGED UP 0.2 PERCENT IN JANUARY, 1.5 PERCENT RISE 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 up 0.2 percent in January after declining four consecutive months. Michael L. Dolfman, Regional Commissioner of the U. S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics, said that the January upturn largely reflected increases for housing and for food and beverages. These increases were partially offset by a seasonal decline for apparel. For the year ended in January 2009, the CPI-U advanced 1.5 percent, the lowest over-the-year increase since 1999, and the index for all items less food and energy rose 2.9 percent. The housing index rose 0.3 percent for the second month in a row, primarily due to a 0.3-percent increase in shelter. (See chart A.) Within the shelter component, residential rent rose 0.3 percent and owners' equivalent rent inched down 0.1 percent. The household furnishings component advanced 0.3 percent, with higher prices reported for major appliances. In contrast, the fuels and utilities component inched down 0.1 percent in January. A 3.2-percent rise in electricity charges largely offset a 4.0-percent decline in natural gas prices. Over the year, the housing index climbed 3.1 percent. The food and beverages index increased 0.4 percent in January after two months of virtually no change. A 0.8-percent upturn in the food-at-home component included higher prices for carbonated drinks; frozen and freeze-dried prepared foods; spices, seasonings, condiments, and sauces; ice cream; and lettuce. In contrast, the index for alcoholic beverages decreased 0.4 percent in January, while the food-away-from-home index was unchanged. For the year ended in January 2009, food and beverage prices increased 5.9 percent; grocery prices advanced 7.3 percent.New York-Northern New Jersey CPI monthly and annual percent changes (not seasonally adjusted) | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 Month | Mo | Ann | Mo | Ann | Mo | Ann | Mo | Ann | Mo | Ann | Mo | Ann January 0.3 2.7 0.6 4.1 0.8 3.7 0.2 2.7 0.2 3.7 0.2 1.5 February 0.6 2.5 0.4 3.9 0.2 3.6 0.6 3.1 0.5 3.6 March 1.1 3.2 1.7 4.4 0.8 2.7 0.7 2.9 0.9 3.8 April 0.3 3.7 0.0 4.2 0.9 3.6 0.5 2.5 0.3 3.6 May 0.2 3.9 -0.5 3.4 0.6 4.8 0.6 2.5 1.0 4.0 June 0.8 4.6 -0.3 2.3 0.5 5.6 0.5 2.5 1.0 4.5 July -0.2 3.9 0.9 3.4 0.2 5.0 0.2 2.5 0.7 5.1 August 0.1 3.3 0.8 4.1 0.4 4.7 -0.1 1.9 0.1 5.4 September 0.1 3.2 0.8 4.8 -0.5 3.3 0.0 2.4 -0.2 5.2 October 0.7 3.7 0.4 4.5 -0.5 2.4 0.1 3.1 -0.7 4.3 November 0.0 3.9 -0.6 3.9 -0.4 2.6 0.4 3.9 -1.6 2.2 December -0.2 3.8 -0.5 3.6 0.2 3.3 0.0 3.7 -0.6 1.6 The medical care index, often up in January, rose 0.6 percent, following monthly changes that ranged from -0.4 to 0.3 percent during the second half of 2008. The increase reflected higher prices for hospital services and prescription drugs. From January 2008 to January 2009, medical care prices rose 0.5 percent, the smallest 12- month increase since 1960. The apparel index decreased 1.4 percent with post-holiday sales. Price reductions for women's outerwear contributed to the January decline. Despite the over-the-month decrease, apparel prices rose 1.6 percent over the year. The transportation index edged down 0.2 percent in January. Gasoline prices dropped 1.5 percent over the month, the smallest of six consecutive monthly decreases. Prices for used cars and trucks also declined. Over the year, transportation prices fell 10.0 percent, with gasoline prices plummeting 41.6 percent, the largest 12- month drop since the series start in 1977. Among other expenditure categories, recreation prices increased 0.3 percent in January. Prices for education and communication, as well as other goods and services, were little changed over the month. With the New York-Northern New Jersey Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers at 233.402 in January (1982-84=100), $23.34 was required to purchase what $10 could in the 1982-84 base period. The purchasing power of the dollar was 42.8 cents in 1982-84 dollars and 14.8 cents in 1967 dollars. In January, the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) was 227.503, up 0.1 percent. The CPI-W rose 1.3 percent over the year. On a 1967 base, the January CPI-W was 647.757. 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 - 7364 Labor - New York 02/18/09 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 Nov. Dec. Jan. Jan. Nov. Dec. 2008 2008 2009 2008 2008 2008 Expenditure category All items............................... 234.498 233.012 233.402 1.5 -0.5 0.2 All items (1967=100).................... 677.900 673.604 674.732 - - - Food and beverages..................... 228.189 228.213 229.014 5.9 .4 .4 Food.................................. 227.518 227.406 228.324 6.0 .4 .4 Food at home......................... 229.060 228.416 230.193 7.3 .5 .8 Food away from home.................. 231.728 232.258 232.160 4.4 .2 .0 Alcoholic beverages................... 233.887 235.943 234.968 4.8 .5 -.4 Housing................................ 254.912 255.615 256.339 3.1 .6 .3 Shelter............................... 307.725 307.530 308.572 3.5 .3 .3 Rent of primary residence 1/......... 302.313 303.511 304.403 5.4 .7 .3 Owners' equivalent rent of primary residence 1/ 2/.................. 316.402 317.595 317.430 3.4 .3 -.1 Fuels and utilities................... 197.831 203.310 203.015 2.3 2.6 -.1 Household energy..................... 199.327 204.909 204.783 1.9 2.7 -.1 Gas (piped) and electricity 1/...... 192.300 202.702 203.564 6.4 5.9 .4 Electricity.1/..................... 161.685 176.269 181.843 5.3 12.5 3.2 Utility (piped) gas service 1/..... 255.610 255.854 245.716 8.3 -3.9 -4.0 Household furnishings and operations.. 126.961 127.748 128.092 .7 .9 .3 Apparel................................ 115.048 108.045 106.555 1.6 -7.4 -1.4 Transportation......................... 185.353 177.308 176.963 -10.0 -4.5 -.2 Private transportation................ 174.393 165.547 165.557 -11.8 -5.1 0.0 Motor fuel........................... 177.894 143.045 140.776 -41.3 -20.9 -1.6 Gasoline (all types)................ 176.390 141.564 139.408 -41.6 -21.0 -1.5 Gasoline, unleaded regular 3/...... 175.580 139.517 138.879 -42.5 -20.9 -.5 Gasoline, unleaded midgrade 3/ 4/.. 182.606 149.579 143.356 -40.1 -21.5 -4.2 Gasoline, unleaded premium 3/...... 180.129 148.179 143.160 -39.3 -20.5 -3.4 Medical care........................... 367.298 367.657 369.972 .5 .7 .6 Recreation 5/.......................... 115.171 115.148 115.503 1.4 .3 .3 Education and communication 5/......... 133.122 133.955 134.102 5.2 .7 .1 Other goods and services............... 348.845 349.842 350.251 2.7 .4 .1 Commodity and service group All items............................... 234.498 233.012 233.402 1.5 -.5 .2 Commodities............................ 175.447 170.806 170.585 -2.8 -2.8 -.1 Commodities less food and beverages... 141.312 134.645 133.942 -8.9 -5.2 -.5 Nondurables less food and beverages.. 169.745 157.964 156.339 -11.6 -7.9 -1.0 Durables............................. 103.968 103.331 103.698 -3.9 -.3 .4 Services............................... 285.001 286.137 287.039 3.8 0.7 0.3 Special aggregate indexes All items less medical care............. 228.442 226.907 227.232 1.6 -.5 .1 All items less shelter.................. 205.703 203.633 203.744 .3 -1.0 .1 Commodities less food................... 144.985 138.530 137.815 -8.3 -4.9 -.5 Nondurables............................. 200.453 194.149 193.661 -2.5 -3.4 -.3 Nondurables less food................... 173.737 162.649 161.052 -10.5 -7.3 -1.0 Services less rent of shelter 2/........ 269.623 272.531 273.285 4.3 1.4 .3 Services less medical care services..... 277.695 278.870 279.668 4.0 .7 .3 Energy.................................. 191.180 179.954 178.936 -17.9 -6.4 -.6 All items less energy................... 240.364 239.821 240.351 3.3 .0 .2 All items less food and energy......... 244.187 243.559 244.019 2.9 -.1 .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/ 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: March 25, 2009
