For Current And Historical This Release Is Embargoed — 1996-09-13

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.2 percent before seasonal adjustment in August to a level of 157.3 (1982-84=100), the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. For the 12-month period ended in August, the CPI- U increased 2.9 percent. The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) rose 0.1 percent in August, prior to seasonal adjustment. The August 1996 CPI-W level of 154.5 was 2.9 percent higher than the index in August 1995. On a seasonally adjusted basis, the CPI-U rose 0.1 percent in August, following a 0.3 percent increase in July. The energy index declined for the third consecutive month--down 0.6 percent in August and 3.2 percent for the 3-month period--after increasing 9.4 percent in the 6-month period ended in May. The index for petroleum-based energy declined 1.6 percent in August, while the index for energy services rose 0.6 percent.