August 2009 Consumer Price Index — 2009-09-16

On a seasonally adjusted basis, the Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers (CPI-U) rose 0.4 percent in August, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The index has decreased 1.5 percent over the last 12 months on a not seasonally adjusted basis. The 0.4 percent seasonally adjusted increase in the CPI-U was driven by a 9.1 percent rise in the gasoline index. This increase accounted for almost the entire advance in the energy index and over 80 percent of the overall increase. Despite the August increase, the gasoline index has fallen 30.0 percent over the last 12 months. The indexes for food and for all items less food and energy both posted slight increases in August. The food index rose 0.1 percent following a 0.3 percent decline in July. The food at home index, which fell 0.5 percent in July, was unchanged in August.