Printer-Friendly Version

Archived News Release--Caution: information may be out of date.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Office of Public Affairs

OPA Press Release: Statement Of U.S. Labor Secretary Alexis M. Herman Regarding The May 2000 Consumer Price Index [06/14/2000]

For more information call: 202-693-4650

For the second month in a row, consumer price increases were modest.

For the month of May, the Consumer Price Index increased 0.1 percent, after being unchanged in April. The May increase was well below the 0.5 and 0.7 percent increases during February and March of this year. The deceleration in May was due to a 1.9 percent decline in energy prices.

Both the April and May increases are below the 1999 average monthly increase of 0.2 percent.

During May, the "core" Consumer Price Index, which excludes the volatile food and energy sectors, increased 0.2 percent, the same as in April. The increase was one-half the increase posted in March of this year.

Both the April and May increases in the "core" Consumer Price Index equal its average monthly increase in 1999.

Archived News Release--Caution: information may be out of date.