WASHINGTON, March 10 (KUNA) -- US Consumer Price Index increased 7.9 percent over the last 12 months and is now the largest since the period ending January 1982, the Department of Labor said Thursday.
The Department of Labor showed that the all items index rose 7.9 percent for the 12 months ending February and that the 12-month increase has been "steadily rising and is now the largest since the period ending January 1982." The all items less food and energy index rose 6.4 percent, the largest 12-month change since the period ending August 1982.
The energy index rose 25.6 percent over the last year and the food index increased 7.9 percent, the largest 12-month increase since the period ending July 1981.
Furthermore, the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.8 percent in February after rising 0.6 percent in January.
Increases in the indexes for gasoline, shelter and food "were the largest contributors to the seasonally adjusted all items increase." The gasoline index rose 6.6 percent in February and "accounted for almost a third of the all items monthly increase." The food index rose 1.0 percent as the food at home index rose 1.4 percent; both were the largest monthly increases since April 2020. (end) si.rk