Consumer Prices in March 2010

Over the last 12 months, the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 2.3 percent before seasonal adjustment.

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The food index has risen 0.2 percent over the last 12 months. Food away from home was up 1.2 percent, while the food at home index was down 0.7 percent despite a 0.5-percent increase (seasonally adjusted) in March 2010.

Over the last 12 months the energy index has risen 18.3 percent; gasoline prices have increased 41.4 percent during that time frame.

Over the last 12 months the index for all items less food and energy has risen 1.1 percent, its smallest increase since January 2004. This is largely explained by the continued deceleration of the shelter index, which has now fallen 0.6 percent during that time frame.

These data come from the BLS Consumer Price Index program. To learn more, see "Consumer Price Index — March 2010" (HTML) (PDF), news release USDL-10-0466.