March 2013 Consumer Price Index — 2013-04-16

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) decreased 0.2 percent in March on a seasonally adjusted basis, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 1.5 percent before seasonal adjustment. The all items seasonally adjusted decrease was primarily due to a 4.4 percent decline in the gasoline index. The indexes for electricity and fuel oil declined as well, as the energy index fell 2.6 percent in March after a 5.4 percent increase in February. The food index was unchanged in March, with the index for food at home declining slightly. The index for all items less food and energy increased 0.1 percent in March, after a 0.2 percent increase in February. The indexes for shelter, used cars and trucks, medical care, personal care, and airline fares all rose in March. These increases more than offset declines in the indexes for apparel, household furnishings and operations, and tobacco.