For Current And Historical This Release Is Embargoed — 1997-05-15

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.1 percent before seasonal adjustment in April to a level of 160.2 (1982- 84=100), the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. For the 12-month period ended in April, the CPI-U increased 2.5 percent. The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) also rose 0.1 percent in April, prior to seasonal adjustment. The April 1997 CPI-W level of 157.2 was 2.3 percent higher than the index in April 1996. On a seasonally adjusted basis, the CPI-U rose 0.1 percent in April, the same as in March. The food index, which was unchanged in March, declined 0.2 percent in April. Grocery store food prices decreased 0.4 percent, primarily reflecting a sharp drop in fruit and vegetable prices. The energy index declined for the second consecutive month, down 1.5 percent in April.