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) Wednesday, April 15, 2009 CONSUMER PRICE INDEX, NEW YORK-NORTHERN NEW JERSEY: MARCH 2009 Area prices edged up 0.2 percent over the month, 0.8 percent over the year 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 March. The March upturn largely reflected increases for shelter, apparel, and other goods and services. Michael L. Dolfman, Regional Commissioner of the U. S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics, said that the 0.8-percent over-the-year change was the smallest 12-month increase since 1961. For the year that ended in March 2009, the index for all items less food and energy climbed 2.2 percent. The housing index rose 0.4 percent in March. A 0.7-percent increase in the shelter component was partially offset by declines in fuels and utilities and in household furnishings. Under the shelter component, owners' equivalent rent rose 0.6 percent, while residential rent rose 0.5 percent. The increase for owners' equivalent rent was the largest since June 2008. The index for household energy declined 1.1 percent in large part because of a 3.2- percent decline for natural gas. Over the year, the housing index advanced 1.9 percent, the smallest 12-month increase since 1999. Apparel, often up in March, rose 1.4 percent, the ninth consecutive monthly increase. Price increases were reported for infants' and toddlers' apparel and for jewelry. Other goods and services rose 1.4 percent. This was largely attributable to an increase in cigarette prices. 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 0.5 1.6 March 1.1 3.2 1.7 4.4 0.8 2.7 0.7 2.9 0.9 3.8 0.2 0.8 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 Food and beverages prices declined 0.4 percent in March, the largest monthly decline since November 2006. The food at home index dropped 0.8 percent, while food away from home remained unchanged. For food at home, this was the fourth reported decline in the last five months. (See chart A.) The drop in grocery prices was largely due to a decrease in the price of milk. The alcoholic beverages index also dropped 0.8-percent, the largest monthly decline in nearly five years. Lower prices were reported for beer. For the year that ended in March 2009, food and beverage prices increased 4.6 percent; grocery prices climbed 5.3 percent. The transportation index inched up 0.1 percent. A 1.4-percent increase for gasoline was in part offset by lower prices for used cars and trucks. Over the year, the transportation index fell 10.0 percent. Declines were reported in recreation prices (-0.6 percent), medical care (-0.4 percent), and education and communication (-0.1 percent). With the New York-Northern New Jersey Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers at 235.067 in March (1982-84=100), $23.51 was required to purchase what $10 could in the 1982-84 base period. The purchasing power of the dollar was 42.5 cents in 1982-84 dollars and 14.7 cents in 1967 dollars. In March, the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) was 229.064, up 0.2 percent. The CPI-W rose 0.9 percent over the year. On a 1967 base, the March CPI-W was 652.202. 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 - 7373 Labor - New York 04/14/09 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 Jan. Feb. Mar. Mar. Jan. Feb. 2009 2009 2009 2008 2009 2009 Expenditure category All items............................... 233.402 234.663 235.067 0.8 0.7 0.2 All items (1967=100) 674.732 678.378 679.546 - - - Food and beverages..................... 229.014 228.886 227.880 4.6 -.5 -.4 Food.................................. 228.324 228.195 227.244 4.7 -.5 -.4 Food at home......................... 230.193 229.149 227.340 5.3 -1.2 -.8 Food away from home.................. 232.160 233.136 233.199 4.0 .4 .0 Alcoholic beverages................... 234.968 234.853 233.043 1.8 -.8 -.8 Housing................................ 256.339 256.561 257.491 1.9 .4 .4 Shelter............................... 308.572 309.934 311.959 2.5 1.1 .7 Rent of primary residence 1/ 304.403 305.125 306.714 5.4 .8 .5 Owners' equivalent rent of primary residence 1/ 2/.................. 317.430 317.982 319.755 3.7 .7 .6 Fuels and utilities................... 203.015 198.649 196.734 -.3 -3.1 -1.0 Household energy..................... 204.783 199.904 197.776 -.9 -3.4 -1.1 Gas (piped) and electricity 1/...... 203.564 198.661 197.572 5.9 -2.9 -.5 Electricity 1/..................... 181.843 176.791 178.535 7.7 -1.8 1.0 Utility (piped) gas service 1/..... 245.716 241.363 233.726 3.0 -4.9 -3.2 Household furnishings and operations 128.092 127.193 125.852 -1.5 -1.7 -1.1 Apparel................................ 106.555 113.702 115.284 2.3 8.2 1.4 Transportation......................... 176.963 179.901 180.067 -10.0 1.8 .1 Private transportation................ 165.557 169.432 169.518 -10.7 2.4 0.1 Motor fuel........................... 140.776 150.888 152.721 -38.2 8.5 1.2 Gasoline (all types)................ 139.408 149.827 151.877 -38.2 8.9 1.4 Gasoline, unleaded regular 3/...... 138.879 149.887 151.915 -39.1 9.4 1.4 Gasoline, unleaded midgrade 3/ 4/.. 143.356 153.060 155.371 -36.4 8.4 1.5 Gasoline, unleaded premium 3/...... 143.160 152.194 154.145 -36.1 7.7 1.3 Medical care........................... 369.972 371.722 370.132 1.0 .0 -.4 Recreation 5/.......................... 115.503 116.724 116.071 2.2 .5 -.6 Education and communication 5/......... 134.102 133.444 133.355 4.4 -.6 -.1 Other goods and services............... 350.251 349.370 354.342 3.6 1.2 1.4 Commodity and service group All items............................... 233.402 234.663 235.067 .8 .7 .2 Commodities............................ 170.585 172.916 172.523 -3.4 1.1 -.2 Commodities less food and beverages... 133.942 137.346 137.268 -8.9 2.5 -.1 Nondurables less food and beverages.. 156.339 162.281 162.991 -11.2 4.3 .4 Durables............................. 103.698 104.105 103.139 -4.6 -.5 -.9 Services............................... 287.039 287.415 288.486 3.1 0.5 0.4 Special aggregate indexes All items less medical care............. 227.232 228.468 228.933 .8 .7 .2 All items less shelter.................. 203.744 204.978 204.680 -.3 .5 -.1 Commodities less food................... 137.815 141.138 141.008 -8.5 2.3 -.1 Nondurables............................. 193.661 196.785 196.684 -3.1 1.6 -.1 Nondurables less food................... 161.052 166.694 167.273 -10.3 3.9 .3 Services less rent of shelter 2/........ 273.285 272.414 272.298 3.9 -.4 .0 Services less medical care services..... 279.668 280.034 281.058 3.1 .5 .4 Energy.................................. 178.936 180.278 179.791 -18.3 .5 -.3 All items less energy................... 240.351 241.613 242.107 2.6 .7 .2 All items less food and energy......... 244.019 245.552 246.322 2.2 .9 .3 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: April 15, 2009