February 22, 2001 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Consumer prices increase 0.6 percent in January

On a seasonally adjusted basis, the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.6 percent in January, its largest monthly advance since a 0.6 percent rise in March 2000.

Percent change from 12 months ago, Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, not seasonally adjusted, January 1992-January 2001
[Chart data—TXT]

The energy index rose 3.9 percent in January, accounting for over one-half of the overall CPI-U increase. The index for energy services rose 7.7 percent, largely as a result of a record monthly increase in the index for utility natural gas—up 17.4 percent. The index for petroleum-based energy was unchanged in January.

The food index increased 0.3 percent, following a 0.5 percent rise in December. Excluding food and energy, the CPI-U rose 0.3 percent in January, following an increase of 0.1 percent in December.

For the 12-month period ended in January, the CPI-U increased 3.7 percent.

These data are a product of the BLS Consumer Price Index program. Find out more in Consumer Price Indexes, January 2001, news release USDL 01-45.