Consumer Price Index - July 2012

 The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) was
 unchanged in July on a seasonally adjusted basis, the U.S. Bureau of
 Labor Statistics reported today. Over the last 12 months, the all
 items index increased 1.4 percent before seasonal adjustment.
 
 Major indexes posted small movements in July, with a 0.3 percent
 decline in the energy index offsetting 0.1 percent increases in the
 indexes for food and all items less food and energy. Within energy,
 declines in the indexes for electricity, natural gas, and fuel oil
 more than offset a small increase in the gasoline index. Within the
 food component, the food at home index was unchanged with major
 grocery store food group indexes mixed, while the food away from home
 index increased.
 
 The index for all items less food and energy rose 0.1 percent in
 July, ending a streak of four consecutive 0.2 percent increases. The
 shelter index rose 0.1 percent for the second month in a row. The
 indexes for medical care, tobacco, household furnishings and
 operations, and apparel also increased, while the indexes for airline
 fares, used cars and trucks, recreation, and new vehicles all
 declined.
 
 The 12-month change in the index for all items was 1.4 percent in
 July. This compares to 1.7 percent in June and is the smallest 12-
 month change since November 2010. The index for all items less food
 and energy rose 2.1 percent for the 12 months ending July, a slight
 decline from the 2.2 percent figure in June and its smallest increase
 since October 2011.


 Table A. Percent changes in CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city
 average
                                                                               
                                                                               
                                  Seasonally adjusted changes from             
                                          preceding month                      
                                                                          Un-  
                                                                       adjusted
                                                                        12-mos.
                              Jan.  Feb.  Mar.  Apr.  May   June  July   ended 
                              2012  2012  2012  2012  2012  2012  2012   July  
                                                                         2012  
                                                                                                                                                              
 All items..................    .2    .4    .3    .0   -.3    .0    .0      1.4
  Food......................    .2    .0    .2    .2    .0    .2    .1      2.3
   Food at home.............    .0    .0    .1    .2   -.1    .1    .0      1.9
   Food away from home (1)..    .4    .1    .2    .3    .2    .2    .2      2.9
  Energy....................    .2   3.2    .9  -1.7  -4.3  -1.4   -.3     -5.0
   Energy commodities.......    .9   5.7   1.7  -2.6  -6.4  -2.3    .2     -5.5
    Gasoline (all types)....    .9   6.0   1.7  -2.6  -6.8  -2.0    .3     -5.5
    Fuel oil (1)............   1.4   2.8   2.7  -1.1  -2.8  -7.9   -.5     -5.6
   Energy services..........   -.8   -.8   -.4   -.2   -.7    .0  -1.1     -4.1
    Electricity.............    .0    .0   -.8    .2    .3   -.5  -1.3     -1.3
    Utility (piped) gas                                                        
       service..............  -2.9  -3.4    .9  -1.8  -4.1   1.7   -.2    -12.7
  All items less food and                                                      
     energy.................    .2    .1    .2    .2    .2    .2    .1      2.1
   Commodities less food and                                                   
      energy commodities....    .2    .1    .2    .2    .2    .2    .0      1.1
    New vehicles............    .0    .6    .2    .4    .2    .2   -.1       .8
    Used cars and trucks....  -1.0   -.2   1.3   1.5   1.0    .0   -.5      1.1
    Apparel.................    .9   -.9    .5    .4    .4    .5    .2      3.0
    Medical care commodities                                                   
       (1)..................    .6    .8    .4    .0    .0    .1    .5      3.4
   Services less energy                                                        
      services..............    .2    .1    .2    .3    .2    .2    .1      2.5
    Shelter.................    .2    .2    .2    .2    .2    .1    .1      2.1
    Transportation services     .0   -.2    .3    .5    .3   -.2   -.2      1.6
    Medical care services...    .2    .0    .3    .4    .5    .7    .3      4.4

   1 Not seasonally adjusted.


 Consumer Price Index Data for July 2012

 Food
 
 The food index rose 0.1 percent in July after a 0.2 percent increase
 in June and has risen 2.3 percent over the past 12 months. The food
 at home index was unchanged in July after a slight decline in May and
 a slight increase in June. Three of the six major grocery store food
 group indexes declined in July. The index for dairy and related
 products fell 0.5 percent, its eighth decrease in nine months. The
 index for nonalcoholic beverages also fell 0.5 percent, and the index
 for fruits and vegetables fell 0.3 percent after rising in each of
 the three previous months. In contrast, the indexes for cereals and
 bakery products and for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs both increased
 0.3 percent in July. The index for other food at home was unchanged.
 The food at home index has risen 1.9 percent over the last 12 months.
 The indexes for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs, for cereals and
 bakery products, and for other food at home have risen over that span
 while the indexes for fruits and vegetables, nonalcoholic beverages,
 and dairy and related products have declined. The index for food away
 from home rose 0.2 percent in July and has increased 2.9 percent over
 the past 12 months.
 
 
 Energy
 
 The energy index declined 0.3 percent in July after a 1.4 percent
 decline in June. The gasoline index increased in July, rising 0.3
 percent after declining in each of the three previous months. (Before
 seasonal adjustment, gasoline prices decreased 2.7 percent in July.)
 The other major energy components declined in July. The electricity
 index fell 1.3 percent, the fuel oil index declined 0.5 percent, and
 the index for natural gas decreased 0.2 percent. The energy index has
 decreased 5.0 percent over the last 12 months with all major
 components showing declines over that span. The natural gas index has
 declined 12.7 percent, the fuel oil index 5.6 percent, the gasoline
 index 5.5 percent, and the electricity index 1.3 percent.
 
 
 All items less food and energy
 
 The index for all items less food and energy increased 0.1 percent in
 July. The index for shelter rose 0.1 percent, the same increase as in
 June. The rent index increased 0.3 percent and the index for owners'
 equivalent rent rose 0.2 percent, but the index for lodging away from
 home fell 2.3 percent. The medical care index, which rose 0.6 percent
 in June, increased 0.4 percent in July, with the indexes for
 physicians' services and hospital services also rising 0.4 percent.
 The tobacco index rose sharply in July, increasing 1.1 percent, and
 the index for household furnishings and operations repeated its June
 increase of 0.2 percent. The apparel index rose 0.2 percent, its
 fifth consecutive increase, and the personal care index also
 increased 0.2 percent. In contrast, the index for airline fares
 declined sharply for the second consecutive month, falling 2.7
 percent. The index for used cars and trucks fell 0.5 percent and the
 indexes for new vehicles and for recreation both fell 0.1 percent.
 
 The index for all items less food and energy has risen 2.1 percent
 over the last 12 months, a slight decrease from the 2.2 percent
 figure of June. The shelter index has also risen 2.1 percent over the
 last year. The medical care index has increased 4.1 percent over the
 last 12 months, the largest change since May 2008.
 
 
 Not seasonally adjusted CPI measures
 
 The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased
 1.4 percent over the last 12 months to an index level of 229.104
 (1982-84=100). For the month, the index decreased 0.2 percent prior
 to seasonal adjustment.
 
 The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers
 (CPI-W) increased 1.3 percent over the last 12 months to an index
 level of 225.568  (1982-84=100). For the month, the index decreased
 0.2 percent prior to seasonal adjustment.
 
 The Chained Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (C-CPI-U)
 increased 1.3 percent over the last 12 months. For the month, the
 index decreased 0.2 percent on a not seasonally adjusted basis.
 Please note that the indexes for the post-2010 period are subject to
 revision.
 
 
 The Consumer Price Index for August 2012 is scheduled to be released
 on Friday, September 14, 2012, at 8:30 a.m. (EDT).