KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Prices in the Midwest Region, as measured by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), declined 0.5 percent in December, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today.
The index for energy decreased by 7.2 percent in December, mainly due to falling prices for gasoline. The index for all items less food and energy increased 0.1 percent, while the food index rose 0.3 percent over the month. Within the all items less food and energy index, prices for owners’ equivalent rent of residences contributed the most to the rise.
Over the last 12 months, the CPI-U advanced 6.0 percent. The index for all items less food and energy advanced 5.2 percent, and food prices rose 11.4 percent compared to their December 2021 levels. Energy prices advanced 5.3 percent, partly the result of an increase in the price of natural gas service.
