NEW: CPI Inflation Accelerates in January; Annualized 3.1%

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.3 percent in January on a seasonally adjusted basis, after rising 0.2 percent in December, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 3.1 percent before seasonal adjustment. 

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The index for shelter continued to rise in January, increasing 0.6 percent and contributing over two-thirds of the monthly all items increase. The food index increased 0.4 percent in January, as the food at home index increased 0.4 percent and the food away from home index rose 0.5 percent over the month. In contrast, the energy index fell 0.9 percent over the month due in large part to the decline in the gasoline index.

The index for all items less food and energy rose 0.4 percent in January. Indexes which increased in January include shelter, motor vehicle insurance, and medical care. The index for used cars and trucks and the index for apparel were among those that decreased over the month.

Ed Morrissey

The annualized CPI rate fell slightly to 3.1% from 3.4% in December, but inflation went up month-over-month from 0.2% to 0.3%. Core CPI (less food and energy) remained at 3.9%. Again, these measures are cumulative; they measure price increases based on prices that had previously increased far more rapidly. This annualized figure is based on the January 2023 CPI rate of 6.4%, which was based on the January 2022 rate of 7.5%, and so on. Inflation isn't going "down," it's only accelerating more slowly -- and even that's from a highly accelerated two-plus years of price shocks. 

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