News release: “Over the last 12 months, the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) all items index increased 2.7 percent before seasonal adjustment, the largest increase since December 2009. The food index has risen 2.9 percent over the past 12 months. The index for food at home has risen 3.6 percent with the index for meats, poultry, fish and eggs up 7.9 percent. The index for food away from home has risen 1.9 percent over the past 12 months. The energy index has now risen 15.5 percent over the last 12 months, with the gasoline index up 27.5 percent. The household energy index has risen 1.2 percent over the last 12 months, with the fuel oil index up 34.0 percent and the electricity index up 1.0 percent, but the index for natural gas down 5.5 percent. The index for all items less food and energy increased 1.2 percent over the last 12 months. This change is above the low of 0.6 percent in October, but is still below the 1.9 percent average over the last 10 years. The indexes for shelter, new vehicles, used cars and trucks, airline fares, and medical care are among those that have increased over the past year; the indexes for apparel, household furnishings and operations, and recreation have declined.”