For Current And Historical Material In This — 2003-08-15

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.1 percent in July, before seasonal adjustment, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. The July level of 183.9 (1982-84=100) was 2.1 percent higher than in July 2002. The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) was unchanged in July, prior to seasonal adjustment. The July level of 179.6 was 2.0 percent higher than in July 2002. On a seasonally adjusted basis, the CPI-U rose 0.2 percent in July, the same as in June. Energy costs, which advanced sharply in the first quarter of 2003 before turning down in the second quarter, increased 0.4 percent in July. Within energy, the index for petroleum-based energy increased 1.5 percent, while the index for energy services decreased 0.5 percent. The index for food rose 0.1 percent with the index for food at home down 0.1 percent.