CPI-U rises 0.4 percent in September

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) rose 0.4 percent in September on a seasonally adjusted basis, after increasing 0.6 percent in August, reported the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Over the past 12 months, the all-items index increased 3.7 percent before seasonal adjustment.

The index for shelter was the largest contributor to the monthly all-items increase, accounting for over half of the increase. An increase in the gasoline index was also a major contributor to the all-items monthly rise. While the major energy component indexes were mixed in September, the energy index rose 1.5 percent over the month. The food index increased 0.2 percent in September, as it did in the previous two months. The index for food at home increased 0.1 percent over the month, while the index for food away from home rose 0.4 percent.

The index for all items less food and energy rose 0.3 percent in September, the same increase as in August. Indexes that increased in