For Current And Historical Material In This — 2003-01-16

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) declined 0.2 percent in December, before seasonal adjustment, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. The December level of 180.9 (1982-84=100) was 2.4 percent higher than in December 2001. The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) also declined 0.2 percent in December, prior to seasonal adjustment. The December level of 177.0 was 2.4 percent higher than in December 2001. On a seasonally adjusted basis, the CPI-U rose 0.1 percent in December, the same as in November. The index for food rose 0.3 percent in December, with prices for food at home up 0.3 percent. Energy costs declined for the second consecutive month--down 0.4 percent in December. Within energy, the index for petroleum-based energy declined 1.4 percent while the index for energy services increased 0.5 percent.