For Current And Historical Material In This — 2001-05-16

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.4 percent in April, before seasonal adjustment, to a level of 176.9 (1982-84=100), the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. For the 12-month period ended in April, the CPI-U increased 3.3 percent. The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) rose 0.5 percent in April, prior to seasonal adjustment. The April level of 173.5 was 3.3 percent higher than the index in April 2000. On a seasonally adjusted basis, the CPI-U rose 0.3 percent in April, following an increase of 0.1 percent in March. The energy index, which had declined in each of the two preceding months, increased 1.8 percent in April. The index for petroleum-based energy increased 4.2 percent, more than offsetting a 0.4 percent decline in the index for energy services. The food index increased 0.1 percent in April, following a 0.2 percent rise in March.