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Category: Economics and Inflation
Date: 8 January 2020 We take a look at the latest US inflation numbers reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and focus on the year on year inflation rate of various expenditure categories such as food, shelter and energy. Of the categories we look at in this article the medical services expenditure category had the highest year on year inflation rate for November 2019
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Inflation rate of various expenditure categories
The BLS had the following to say regarding the November 2019 consumer price index (CPI)
The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) rose 0.3 percent in November on a seasonally adjusted basis, after rising 0.4 percent in October, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 2.1 percent before seasonal adjustment. Increases in the shelter and energy indexes were major factors in the seasonally adjusted monthly increase of the all items index. Increases in the indexes for medical care, for recreation, and for food also contributed to the overall increase. The gasoline index rose 1.1 percent in November and the other major energy component indexes also increased. The food index rose 0.1 percent, with the indexes for both food at home and food away from home increasing over the month. The index for all items less food and energy rose 0.2 percent in November, the same increase as in October. Along with the indexes for shelter, for medical care, and for recreation, the indexes for used cars and trucks and for apparel also rose in November. The new vehicles index fell in November, as did the index for airline fares. The all items index increased 2.1 percent for the 12 months ending November, a larger rise than the 1.8-percent increase for the period ending October. The index for all items less food and energy rose 2.3 percent over the last 12 months. The food index rose 2.0 percent over the last l2 months, while the energy index declined 0.6 percent over the last year.
The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) rose 0.3 percent in November on a seasonally adjusted basis, after rising 0.4 percent in October, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 2.1 percent before seasonal adjustment. Increases in the shelter and energy indexes were major factors in the seasonally adjusted monthly increase of the all items index. Increases in the indexes for medical care, for recreation, and for food also contributed to the overall increase. The gasoline index rose 1.1 percent in November and the other major energy component indexes also increased. The food index rose 0.1 percent, with the indexes for both food at home and food away from home increasing over the month. The index for all items less food and energy rose 0.2 percent in November, the same increase as in October. Along with the indexes for shelter, for medical care, and for recreation, the indexes for used cars and trucks and for apparel also rose in November. The new vehicles index fell in November, as did the index for airline fares. The all items index increased 2.1 percent for the 12 months ending November, a larger rise than the 1.8-percent increase for the period ending October. The index for all items less food and energy rose 2.3 percent over the last 12 months. The food index rose 2.0 percent over the last l2 months, while the energy index declined 0.6 percent over the last year.
Food
The food index increased 0.1 percent in November following a 0.2-percent rise the prior month. The index for food at home also rose 0.1 percent, after increasing 0.3 percent in October. Four of the six major grocery store food group indexes increased in November. The index for dairy and related products rose 0.6 percent over the month. The indexes for nonalcoholic beverages; meat, poultry, fish, and eggs; and cereals and bakery products also increased in November. The index for fruits and vegetables fell 0.7 percent in November after rising 0.9 percent in October, with the fresh fruit index declining 1.6 percent. The index for other food at home was unchanged over the month. The index for food away from home rose 0.2 percent in November, as it did in October. The indexes for full service meals increased 0.3 percent in November, while the index for limited service meals increased 0.1 percent over the month. The food away from home index has increased every month since being unchanged in June 2017. The food at home index increased 1.0 percent over the last 12 months. All the major grocery store food group indexes rose over the period, with increases ranging from 0.4 percent (both the other food at home index and the fruits and vegetables index) to 2.6 percent (the dairy and related products index). The index for food away from home rose 3.2 percent over the last year, as the index for full service meals increased 3.6 percent and the index for limited service meals rose 3.0 percent.
Energy
The energy index increased 0.8 percent in November after rising 2.7 percent in October. The gasoline index rose 1.1 percent in November following a 3.7-percent increase in October. (Before seasonal adjustment, gasoline prices fell 1.1 percent in November.) Other major energy indexes also rose in November, with the index for natural gas rising 1.1 percent and the index for electricity increasing 0.3 percent. The energy index declined 0.6 percent over the past 12 months. The gasoline index fell 1.2 percent and the fuel oil index decreased 6.7 percent over the year. In contrast, the index for natural gas rose 1.l percent and the index for electricity advanced 0.5 percent.
Shelter
The shelter index rose 0.3 percent in November. The index for rent also rose 0.3 percent, while the index for owners’ equivalent rent increased 0.2 percent over the month. The index for lodging away from home rose 1.1 percent in November after falling 3.8 percent in October.
Other categories
The education index and the apparel index both increased 0.1 percent over the month. The recreation index rose 0.4 percent in November, after rising 0.7 percent in October. Most of its major component indexes increased, including cable and satellite television services (0.4 percent) and sporting goods (0.9 percent).
The index for used cars and trucks rose 0.6 percent in November after rising 1.3 percent in October. The new vehicles index fell 0.1 percent in November, its fifth consecutive decline. The index for airline fares fell 0.9 percent in November, while the index for motor vehicle insurance fell 0.2 percent. The index for household furnishings and operations was unchanged in November. The index for all items less food and energy rose 2.3 percent over the past 12 months. The shelter index rose 3.3 percent over the 12-month span, and the medical care index rose 4.2 percent.
Most other major component indexes increased over the 12-month span, although the indexes for apparel, for used cars and trucks, and for motor vehicle insurance declined. Not seasonally adjusted CPI measures The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 2.1 percent over the last 12 months to an index level of 257.208 (1982-84=100). For the month, the index decreased 0.1 percent prior to seasonal adjustment.
The interactive graphic below shows the year on year inflation rate of various expenditure categories for the month of November 2019
The food index increased 0.1 percent in November following a 0.2-percent rise the prior month. The index for food at home also rose 0.1 percent, after increasing 0.3 percent in October. Four of the six major grocery store food group indexes increased in November. The index for dairy and related products rose 0.6 percent over the month. The indexes for nonalcoholic beverages; meat, poultry, fish, and eggs; and cereals and bakery products also increased in November. The index for fruits and vegetables fell 0.7 percent in November after rising 0.9 percent in October, with the fresh fruit index declining 1.6 percent. The index for other food at home was unchanged over the month. The index for food away from home rose 0.2 percent in November, as it did in October. The indexes for full service meals increased 0.3 percent in November, while the index for limited service meals increased 0.1 percent over the month. The food away from home index has increased every month since being unchanged in June 2017. The food at home index increased 1.0 percent over the last 12 months. All the major grocery store food group indexes rose over the period, with increases ranging from 0.4 percent (both the other food at home index and the fruits and vegetables index) to 2.6 percent (the dairy and related products index). The index for food away from home rose 3.2 percent over the last year, as the index for full service meals increased 3.6 percent and the index for limited service meals rose 3.0 percent.
Energy
The energy index increased 0.8 percent in November after rising 2.7 percent in October. The gasoline index rose 1.1 percent in November following a 3.7-percent increase in October. (Before seasonal adjustment, gasoline prices fell 1.1 percent in November.) Other major energy indexes also rose in November, with the index for natural gas rising 1.1 percent and the index for electricity increasing 0.3 percent. The energy index declined 0.6 percent over the past 12 months. The gasoline index fell 1.2 percent and the fuel oil index decreased 6.7 percent over the year. In contrast, the index for natural gas rose 1.l percent and the index for electricity advanced 0.5 percent.
Shelter
The shelter index rose 0.3 percent in November. The index for rent also rose 0.3 percent, while the index for owners’ equivalent rent increased 0.2 percent over the month. The index for lodging away from home rose 1.1 percent in November after falling 3.8 percent in October.
Other categories
The education index and the apparel index both increased 0.1 percent over the month. The recreation index rose 0.4 percent in November, after rising 0.7 percent in October. Most of its major component indexes increased, including cable and satellite television services (0.4 percent) and sporting goods (0.9 percent).
The index for used cars and trucks rose 0.6 percent in November after rising 1.3 percent in October. The new vehicles index fell 0.1 percent in November, its fifth consecutive decline. The index for airline fares fell 0.9 percent in November, while the index for motor vehicle insurance fell 0.2 percent. The index for household furnishings and operations was unchanged in November. The index for all items less food and energy rose 2.3 percent over the past 12 months. The shelter index rose 3.3 percent over the 12-month span, and the medical care index rose 4.2 percent.
Most other major component indexes increased over the 12-month span, although the indexes for apparel, for used cars and trucks, and for motor vehicle insurance declined. Not seasonally adjusted CPI measures The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 2.1 percent over the last 12 months to an index level of 257.208 (1982-84=100). For the month, the index decreased 0.1 percent prior to seasonal adjustment.
The interactive graphic below shows the year on year inflation rate of various expenditure categories for the month of November 2019
Medical care services inflation by far outstripped the year on year inflation rate of other expenditure categories, with its year on year inflation rate sitting at 5.1%. Shelter inflation of 3.3% was the 2nd highest of the expenditure categories we looked at, while apparel showed the biggest decline with it declining by -1.6% over the last 12 months.
Brief background of the CPI
Brief Explanation of the CPI The Consumer Price Index (CPI) measures the change in prices paid by consumers for goods and services. The CPI reflects spending patterns for each of two population groups: all urban consumers and urban wage earners and clerical workers. The all urban consumer group represents about 93 percent of the total U.S. population. It is based on the expenditures of almost all residents of urban or metropolitan areas, including professionals, the self-employed, the poor, the unemployed, and retired people, as well as urban wage earners and clerical workers.
Not included in the CPI are the spending patterns of people living in rural nonmetropolitan areas, farming families, people in the Armed Forces, and those in institutions, such as prisons and mental hospitals. Consumer inflation for all urban consumers is measured by two indexes, namely, the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) and the Chained Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (C-CPI-U).
Brief Explanation of the CPI The Consumer Price Index (CPI) measures the change in prices paid by consumers for goods and services. The CPI reflects spending patterns for each of two population groups: all urban consumers and urban wage earners and clerical workers. The all urban consumer group represents about 93 percent of the total U.S. population. It is based on the expenditures of almost all residents of urban or metropolitan areas, including professionals, the self-employed, the poor, the unemployed, and retired people, as well as urban wage earners and clerical workers.
Not included in the CPI are the spending patterns of people living in rural nonmetropolitan areas, farming families, people in the Armed Forces, and those in institutions, such as prisons and mental hospitals. Consumer inflation for all urban consumers is measured by two indexes, namely, the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) and the Chained Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (C-CPI-U).