Consumer Prices in Region Show Decline

Consumer prices in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton area ticked up 0.1% for the two months ending in January after declining 0.4% during the prior two-month period.

Food prices were little changed for the two months ending in January, up 0.1%. Prices for food away from home rose 1.3%, while prices for food at home decreased 0.7%.

Energy prices increased 0.2% over the two-month pricing period. Gasoline prices declined 2.5%.

Prices for all items less food and energy ticked up 0.1% during the two-month period. Expenditure items with higher prices included recreation (+2.6%), apparel (+3.4%), education and communication (+0.8%) and airline fares.

Over the year, the Boston area CPI-U increased 1.4%. The all items less food and energy index and the food index each increased 1.5%. Energy prices declined 0.5%.

For the latest data from the Northeast CPI series, including Boston and New England, see https://www.bls.gov/regions/northeast/cpi-summary/ro1xg01a.htm.