For Current And Historical This Release Is Embargoed — 1996-11-14

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.3 percent before seasonal adjustment in October to a level of 158.3 (1982-84=100), the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. For the 12-month period ended in October, the CPI- U increased 3.0 percent. The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) also rose 0.3 percent in October, prior to seasonal adjustment. The October 1996 CPI-W level of 155.5 was 3.0 percent higher than the index in October 1995. On a seasonally adjusted basis, the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) rose 0.3 percent in October, the same as in September. The food index rose 0.6 percent in September, reflecting sharp increases in prices for dairy products and for fresh fruits and vegetables. The energy index registered its first increase since May, advancing 0.7 percent in October.