US Inflation at 3%, Consumer Prices Unchanged in December 2011
US inflation eased as consumer prices remained in check last month, the US government said Thursday in Washington. While Americans paid more for food, housing and transportation, cheaper energy costs offset the increases.
Consumer prices were flat in December for a second straight month following advances of 0.1, 0.3, and 0.4 percent in October, September, and August. Read more
US Inflation Lessens as Consumer Prices Remain Flat in November 2011
After surging earlier in 2011, US inflation has trended lower in recent months, inflation data released Friday by the US government highlights. Consumer prices were flat in November as food prices cooled and American’s paid less for gasoline which offset higher costs in other items like shelter, medical care, and clothing.
Consumer prices were unchanged in November on a seasonally adjusted basis after falling 0.1 percent in October. Increases of 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5 percent had been reported by the bureau for the respective months of September, August and July. Falling energy prices have been the major catalyst in recent inflation dips. Read more
US Inflation Slows as Consumer Prices Dip 0.1% in October 2011
Consumer prices retreated in October 2011 for the first time in four months as Americans paid less for gasoline, cars and other items. The decline trimmed the annual US inflation rate by four points from the previous 12-month reading which had marked the biggest increase in three years.
The US Labor Department on Wednesday said consumer prices fell 0.1 percent in October after rising 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5 percent in the respective months of September, August and July. Consumer prices last dipped on a monthly basis in June (by 0.2 percent) due to sharply lower energy costs. The catalyst for October’s decrease was markedly the same. Read more
US Inflation Advances as Consumer Prices Rise 0.3% in September 2011
US inflation in September 2011 calmed ever-so-slightly when compared against the previous month — a second straight month of modest taming. But American consumers continued to hand out larger sums of money to pay for their routine purchases. Worse, US inflation on an annual basis marked its biggest increase in 3 years, imparting a remindful and painful pull on consumers’ wallets.
Consumer prices rose 0.3 percent in September after rising 0.4 percent in August and jumping 0.5 percent in July, according to a US government report released Wednesday morning. The increase was mostly in line with economists’ expectations, and led by higher energy and food prices. Read more
US Inflation Rises 3.8% on 12-Month Basis, Consumer Prices Advance 0.4% in August 2011
Although the US inflation rate cooled a bit in August 2011 when compared against July 2011, consumer prices advanced for the month as Americans paid more than expected for goods and services. At the same time, US inflation over the past 12 months not only increased but the more closely watched core rate was the highest since November 2008.
The US Labor Department said consumer prices rose 0.4 percent in August after surging 0.5 percent in July. The increase was double the level of what many analysts’ expected. While gasoline prices rose at a more modest 1.9 percent rate in August versus the 4.7 percent jump in the previous month, food prices ticked up 0.5 percent after increasing 0.4 percent in July. Read more
US Inflation Rate Continues at 3.6%, Consumer Prices Jump 0.5% in July 2011
The American cost of living jumped in July 2011 by the most in four months, according to the latest US inflation data released by the government.
Consumer prices rose 0.5 percent in July, led by higher food and energy prices. The US Labor Department on Thursday reported the higher-than-expected level, which was more than twice the rate some economists’ expected and markedly higher than June’s 0.2 percent decline when energy costs had retreated.
"The gasoline index rebounded from previous declines and rose sharply in July, accounting for about half of the seasonally adjusted increase in the all items index. The food at home index accelerated in July and also contributed to the increase, as dairy and fruit indexes posted notable increases and five of the six major grocery store food groups rose," the US Labor Department said Thursday in its monthly Consumer Price Index (CPI) report.
Energy prices increased 2.8 percent in July after a 4.4 percent drop in June and a 1.0 percent drop in May. Food prices rose 0.4 percent after a 0.2 percent gain in the prior month and a matching 0.4 percent increase in May. Read more
US Inflation Remains at 3.6%, Consumer Prices Decline 0.2% in June 2011
Consumer prices declined in June 2011 for the first time in a year as energy costs dropped by the biggest amount since 2008, the latest US inflation figures from the government revealed Friday.
All was not rosy, however, as core US inflation climbed faster than expected due to higher prices in other goods and services. Americans continue to pay more for rent, cloths, used cars and trunks and medical care.
Consumer prices declined 0.2 percent in June, a level that was in line with most forecasts. Read more
US Inflation Rate Quickens to 3.6%, Consumer Prices Rise 0.2% in May 2011
The cost of living in the US rose more than expected in May 2011 as US inflation picked up speed, according to the latest consumer price figures released by the government. Americans paid more for food, cars, clothing and recreation, although the cost of energy retreated as gas prices fell for the first time since last June.
Consumer prices rose 3.6 percent in the 12 months ending May 2011 after a 3.2 percent annual reading in April when prices at the pump were rising sharply. The year-over-year pick-up was the largest since October 2008. The 12-month US inflation rate was as low as 1.1% as recently as November. And while gas prices fell last month, they are a strangling 36.9 percent higher than one year ago. Higher food prices burden consumers further. Read more
US Inflation Spikes 3.2%, Consumer Prices Up 0.4% in April 2011
US inflation raced at its fastest annual pace in two and a half years as the cost of energy and food drove consumer prices higher, according to the latest Consumer Prices Index (CPI) report published by the government on Friday, May 13.
Americans are paying more for goods and services for a tenth straight month as consumer prices increased 3.2 percent in the 12 months ending April 2011, the highest figure since October 2008. The annual rate was 1.1 percent as recently as November. The gain was greatly attributed to rising gasoline prices. Read more
US Inflation Hits 2.7% as March 2011 Consumer Prices Rise 0.5%
The cost of living climbed in March 2011 for a ninth straight month as Americans were hit with sharply higher food and energy prices that pushed the annual rate of US inflation up from 2.1% to 2.7%. However, consumer prices were relatively tame aside from food and energy, according to data published by the US Labor Department on Friday.
The Consumer Price Index (CPI), the government’s main mechanism for tracking US inflation, rose in line with most economists’ forecasts. Consumer prices climbed 0.5 percent in March 2011, matching the previous monthly increase which had registered as the largest since June 2009. Food and energy prices during the month rose 0.8 and 3.5 percent, respectively, as compared to increases of 0.6 and 3.4 percent in the prior month. Read more