For Current And Historical Material In This — 2003-05-16

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) decreased 0.2 percent in April, before seasonal adjustment, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. The April level of 183.8 (1982-84=100) was 2.2 percent higher than in April 2002. The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) decreased 0.3 percent in April, prior to seasonal adjustment. The April level of 179.8 was 2.3 percent higher than in April 2002. On a seasonally adjusted basis, the CPI-U declined 0.3 percent in April, following an increase of 0.3 percent in March. Energy costs, which rose 4.6 percent in March, declined 4.6 percent in April. Within energy, the index for petroleum-based energy declined 8.4 percent and the index for energy services decreased 0.5 percent. The index for food fell 0.1 percent, following a 0.2 percent increase in March. The index for food at home declined 0.2 percent.