For Current And Historical Material In This — 2001-09-18

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) was unchanged in August, before seasonal adjustment, remaining at a level of 177.5 (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 2.7 percent. The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) also was unchanged in August, prior to seasonal adjustment. The August level of 173.8 was 2.7 percent higher than the index in August 2000. On a seasonally adjusted basis, the CPI-U rose 0.1 percent in August, following a 0.3 percent decline in July. The energy index declined for the third consecutive month--down 1.9 percent in August, following a 5.6 percent drop in July. In August, the index for petroleum-based energy declined 2.4 percent and the index for energy services fell 1.4 percent. The food index, which increased 0.3 percent in July, rose 0.2 percent in August.