For Current And Historical Material In This — 2003-12-16

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) decreased 0.3 percent in November, before seasonal adjustment, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. The November level of 184.5 (1982-84=100) was 1.8 percent higher than in November 2002. The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) also decreased 0.3 percent in November, prior to seasonal adjustment. The November level of 180.2 was 1.6 percent higher than in November 2002. On a seasonally adjusted basis, the CPI-U, which was unchanged in October, declined 0.2 percent in November. Energy costs declined 3.0 percent, following a 3.9 percent drop in October. Within energy, the index for petroleum-based energy declined 4.4 percent and the index for energy services fell 1.4 percent. The index for food rose 0.4 percent with the index for food at home up 0.7 percent.