On Tuesday, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) rose 0.5% in January on a seasonally adjusted basis, after increasing 0.1% in December. Over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 6.4% before seasonal adjustment.

Specifically:

  • The index for shelter was by far the largest contributor to the monthly all items increase, accounting for nearly half of the monthly all items increase, with the indexes for food, gasoline, and natural gas also contributing.
  • The food index increased 0.5% over the month with the food at home index rising 0.4%.
  • The energy index increased 2.0% over the month as all major energy component indexes rose over the month.

The index for all items less food and energy rose 0.4% in January. Categories which increased in January include the shelter, motor vehicle insurance, recreation, apparel, and household furnishings and operations indexes. The indexes for used cars and trucks, medical care, and airline fares were among those that decreased over the month.

The all items index increased 6.4% for the 12 months ending January; this was the smallest 12-month increase since the period ending October 2021. The all items less food and energy index rose 5.6% over the last 12 months, its smallest 12-month increase since December 2021. The energy index increased 8.7% for the 12 months ending January, and the food index increased 10.1%.

Items of NoteJanuary 202312-Months Ended January 2023
All Items0.5%6.4%
Food0.5%10.1%
Energy2.0%8.7%
Fuel Oil-1.2%27.7%
Utility (piped) gas service6.7%26.7%
Used cars and trucks-1.9%-11.6%
Shelter0.7%7.9%

Inflation Over the Past 20-Years

Sources: bls.gov