The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has released the latest consumer price index survey.
The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.3 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis in December, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 2.7 percent before seasonal adjustment.
The index for shelter rose 0.4 percent in December and was the largest factor in the all items monthly increase. The food index increased 0.7 percent over the month as did the food at home index and the food away from home index. The index for energy rose 0.3 percent in December.
The index for all items less food and energy rose 0.2 percent in December. Indexes that increased over the month include recreation, airline fares, medical care, apparel, personal care, and education. The indexes for communication, used cars and trucks, and household furnishings and operations were among the major indexes that decreased in December.
The all items index rose 2.7 percent for the 12 months ending December, the same increase as over the 12 months ending November. The all items less food and energy index rose 2.6 percent over the last 12 months. The energy index increased 2.3 percent for the 12 months ending in December. The food index increased 3.1 percent over the last year.
Food
The index for food rose 0.7 percent in December as did the index for food at home. Five of the six major grocery store food group indexes increased in December. The index for other food at home rose 1.6 percent over the month. The cereals and bakery products index increased 0.6 percent in December. The index for fruits and vegetables increased 0.5 percent and the index for nonalcoholic beverages increased 0.4 percent. The dairy and related products index rose 0.9 percent in December. In contrast, the index for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs decreased 0.2 percent in December, as the index for eggs fell 8.2 percent.
The food away from home index also rose 0.7 percent in December. The index for full service meals rose 0.8 percent over the month and the index for limited service meals increased 0.6 percent.
The index for food at home rose 2.4 percent over the 12 months ending in December. The meats, poultry, fish, and eggs index rose 3.9 percent over the last 12 months. The index for other food at home increased 2.7 percent over the same period and the index for nonalcoholic beverages rose 5.1 percent. The cereals and bakery products index increased 1.5 percent over the 12 months ending in December. The index for fruits and vegetables rose 0.5 percent over the year. In contrast, the dairy and related products index decreased 0.9 percent over the same period.
The food away from home index rose 4.1 percent over the last year. The index for full service meals rose 4.9 percent and the index for limited service meals rose 3.3 percent over the same period.
Energy
The index for energy increased 0.3 percent in December. The natural gas index increased 4.4 percent over the same period. The index for gasoline decreased 0.5 percent over the month. (Before seasonal adjustment, gasoline prices decreased 5.3 percent in December.) The electricity index declined 0.1 percent in December.
The index for energy increased 2.3 percent over the past 12 months. The electricity index increased 6.7 percent over the last 12 months and the natural gas index rose 10.8 percent. In contrast, the index for gasoline fell 3.4 percent over this 12-month span.
All items less food and energy
The index for all items less food and energy rose 0.2 percent in December. The shelter index increased 0.4 percent over the month. The index for owners’ equivalent rent rose 0.3 percent in December as did the index for rent. The lodging away from home index rose 2.9 percent over the month.
The index for recreation increased 1.2 percent over the month, the largest 1-month increase ever reported for that index, which was first published in 1993. The airline fares index rose 5.2 percent in December, and the apparel index rose 0.6 percent. The index for personal care rose 0.4 percent over the month and the index for education increased 0.2 percent.
The medical care index increased 0.4 percent in December. The index for hospital services increased 1.0 percent over the month, while the index for physicians’ services rose 0.3 percent. The prescription drugs index increased 0.1 percent in December.
The communication index declined 1.9 percent in December, and the used cars and trucks index fell 1.1 percent. The index for household furnishings and operations decreased 0.5 percent over the month, while the index for new vehicles was unchanged in December.
The index for all items less food and energy rose 2.6 percent over the past 12 months. The shelter index increased 3.2 percent over the last year. Other indexes with notable increases over the last year include medical care (+3.2 percent), household furnishings and operations (+4.0 percent), recreation (+3.0 percent), and personal care (+3.7 percent).
Not seasonally adjusted CPI measures
The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 2.7 percent over the last 12 months to an index level of 324.054 (1982-84=100). For the month, the index was unchanged prior to seasonal adjustment.
The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) increased 2.6 percent over the last 12 months to an index level of 317.014 (1982-84=100). For the month, the index decreased 0.1 percent prior to seasonal adjustment.
The Chained Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (C-CPI-U) increased 2.5 percent over the last 12 months. For the month, the index decreased 0.1 percent on a not seasonally adjusted basis. Please note that the indexes for the past 10 to 12 months are subject to revision.
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The Consumer Price Index for January 2026 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. (ET).