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The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers remained flat for a second straight month in December. Once again a decrease in the energy index countered rises in the other indexes (the food index and the all items less food and energy index ). Over the last year, CPI rose 3.0% (seasonally adjusted). Here are some year-in-review details rom the Bureau of Labor Statistics release: The energy index increased 6.6 percent in 2011, a deceleration from the 2010 increase of 7.7 percent. The gasoline index, which rose 13.8 percent in 2010, increased 9.9 percent in 2011. In contrast, the household energy index accelerated in 2011, rising 1.8 percent after a 0.8 percent increase in 2010. The fuel oil index rose 18.0 percent and the electricity index increased 2.2 percent, although the index for natural gas declined for the third straight year, falling 3.7 percent. The index for food accelerated in 2011, rising 4.7 percent compared to a 1.5 percent increase in 2010. The index for food at home rose 6.0 percent in 2011 compared to 1.7 percent in 2010. All six major grocery store food group indexes rose in 2011, with increases ranging from 2.3 percent (fruits and vegetables) to 8.1 percent (dairy and related products). The index for food away from home rose 2.9 percent in 2011 after increasing 1.3 percent in 2010. The index for all items less food and energy also accelerated in 2011, increasing 2.2 percent after its historical low 2010 increase of 0.8 percent. This was the largest increase since 2007. Several indexes turned up in 2011. The apparel index rose 4.6 percent after a 1.1 percent decline the previous year. Similarly, the new vehicles index rose 3.2 percent in 2011 after a slight decline in 2010. The indexes for recreation and household furnishings and operations also rose in 2011 after declining in 2010. A number of other indexes rose more quickly in 2011 than in 2010. The shelter index accelerated notably, advancing 1.9 percent in 2011 after rising only 0.4 percent the previous year. The indexes for used cars and trucks, medical care, education, and personal care also rose more quickly in 2011 than in 2010. In contrast, the indexes for tobacco and airline fare posted smaller increases in 2011 than 2010. Here's a look at the CPI for All Urban Consumers over the last year: Read the full release here .

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers was flat in November. The index climbed for most of the year, before decreasing slightly in October. A decrease in the energy index , driven by lower gasoline costs, countered rises in the other indexes (the food index and the all items less food and energy index ). climbing 3.5% (seasonally adjusted) over the last year, the CPI decreased 0.1%. The key factor was energy costs. From the Bureau of Labor Statistics release: The energy index declined for the second month in a row and offset increases in the indexes for food and all items less food and energy. As in October, the gasoline index fell sharply and the index for household energy declined as well. The food index rose slightly in November, though the index for food at home declined as four of the six major grocery store food group indexes fell. The index for all items less food and energy increased 0.2 percent in November following increases of 0.1 percent in each of the prior two months. The indexes for shelter, medical care, apparel, and personal care all rose. These increases more than offset declines in the indexes for new vehicles and used cars and trucks. The all items index has risen 3.4 percent over the last 12 months. This is a slightly smaller increase than last month’s 3.5 percent figure, as the 12-month change in the energy index declined from 14.2 percent to 12.4 percent. The 12-month change in the food index also declined slightly, from 4.7 percent to 4.6 percent. In contrast, the 12-month change in the index for all items less food and energy continued to rise, reaching 2.2 percent in November. Here's a look at the CPI for All Urban Consumers over the last year: Read the release here .

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers reversed course slightly in October. After climbing 3.5% (seasonally adjusted) over the last year, the CPI decreased 0.1%. The key factor was energy costs. From the Bureau of Labor Statistics release: A decline in the energy index more than offset small increases in the indexes for food and all items less food and energy to create the all items decline. The energy index turned down in October after increasing in each of the three previous months as the gasoline and household energy indexes declined after a series of seasonally adjusted increases. The food index rose in October, but posted its smallest increase of the year as the fruits and vegetables index declined sharply. The index for all items less food and energy increased 0.1 percent in October; this was the same increase as last month and matches its smallest increase of the year. While the shelter and medical care indexes accelerated in October and the apparel index turned up, the indexes for new vehicles, used cars and trucks, airline fare, and recreation all declined. Here's a look at the CPI for All Urban Consumers over the last year: Read the release here .

The US economy added 80,000 jobs in October, according to the latest numbers released by the Department of Labor . The unemployment rate dipped down slightly, to 9.0 percent. The professional and business services and leisure and hospitality sectors led the job growth, while government employment continued to decline. Perhaps the most positive news from the report is that the number of long-term unemployed, those out of work for 27 weeks or more, dropped by 366,000 over the month. Here's a look at the unemployment trends from the Bureau of Labor Statistics : Here are some of the key data from other areas we like to track in the monthly jobs report: The number of persons employed part time for economic reasons (sometimes referred to as involuntary part-time workers) decreased by 374,000 to 8.9 million in October. These individuals were working part time because their hours had been cut back or because they were unable to find a full-time job. In October, 2.6 million persons were marginally attached to the labor force, about the same as a year earlier. (The data are not seasonally adjusted.) These individuals were not in the labor force, wanted and were available for work, and had looked for a job sometime in the prior 12 months. They were not counted as unemployed because they had not searched for work in the 4 weeks preceding the survey. Among the marginally attached, there were 967,000 discouraged workers in October, a decrease of 252,000 from a year earlier. (The data are not seasonally adjusted.) Discouraged workers are persons not currently looking for work because they believe no jobs are available for them. The remaining 1.6 million persons marginally attached to the labor force in October had not searched for work in the 4 weeks preceding the survey for reasons such as school attendance or family responsibilities. Read the full report from the BLS here .

Once again we have a jobs report from the Department of Labor where the unemployment remains unchanged. The unemployment rate remains at 9.1%, but in September, unlike in August, the economy did add jobs. Government employment went down again, but 103,000 more jobs were added in the private sector than were lost in the public sector. Here's a look at the unemployment trends from the Bureau of Labor Statistics : Here are some of the key data from other areas we like to track in the monthly jobs report: The number of persons employed part time for economic reasons (sometimes referred to as involuntary part-time workers) rose to 9.3 million in September. These individuals were working part time because their hours had been cut back or because they were unable to find a full-time job. In September, about 2.5 million persons were marginally attached to the labor force, about the same as a year earlier. (The data are not seasonally adjusted.) These individuals were not in the labor force, wanted and were available for work, and had looked for a job sometime in the prior 12 months. They were not counted as unemployed because they had not searched for work in the 4 weeks preceding the survey. Among the marginally attached, there were 1.0 million discouraged workers in September, down by 172,000 from a year earlier. (The data are not seasonally adjusted.) Discouraged workers are persons not currently looking for work because they believe no jobs are available for them. The remaining 1.5 million persons marginally attached to the labor force in September had not searched for work in the 4 weeks preceding the survey for reasons such as school attendance or family responsibilities. Read the full report from the BLS here .

The unemployment rate has edged back down to 9.1%, as the US economy gained 117,000 as the US economy jobs in May, according to the latest report from the Department of Labor . The private sectors continues to add jobs. Notably, health care, retail trade, manufacturing, and mining led the way in hiring, while the public sector continued to lose jobs. Here's a look at the unemployment trends from the Bureau of Labor Statistics : Here are some of the key data from other areas we like to track in the monthly jobs report: The number of persons employed part time for economic reasons (sometimes referred to as involuntary part-time workers) was about unchanged in July at 8.4 million. These individuals were working part time because their hours had been cut back or because they were unable to find a full-time job. In July, 2.8 million persons were marginally attached to the labor force, little changed from a year earlier. (These data are not seasonally adjusted.) These individuals were not in the labor force, wanted and were available for work, and had looked for a job sometime in the prior 12 months. They were not counted as unemployed because they had not searched for work in the 4 weeks preceding the survey. Among the marginally attached, there were 1.1 million discouraged workers in July, about the same as a year earlier. (These data are not seasonally adjusted.) Discouraged workers are persons not currently looking for work because they believe no jobs are available for them. The remaining 1.7 million persons marginally attached to the labor force in July had not searched for work in the 4 weeks preceding the survey for reasons such as school attendance or family responsibilities. Read the full report from the BLS here .

The US economy continues to add jobs. "Nonfarm payroll employment rose by 244,000 in April," according to the latest report from the Department of Labor . Despite the increase in jobs, the unemployment rate rose slightly, and is now at 9.0% (up from 8.8% at the end of March). Here's a look at the unemployment trends from the Bureau of Labor Statistics : Here are some of the key data from other areas we like to track in the monthly jobs report: The number of persons unemployed for less than 5 weeks increased by 242,000 in April. The number of long-term unemployed (those jobless for 27 weeks and over) declined by 283,000 to 5.8 million; their share of unemployment declined to 43.4 percent. The number of persons employed part time for economic reasons (sometimes referred to as involuntary part-time workers) was little changed over the month, at 8.6 million. These individuals were working part time because their hours had been cut back or because they were unable to find a full-time job. In April, 2.5 million persons were marginally attached to the labor force, about the same as a year earlier. (These data are not seasonally adjusted.) These individuals were not in the labor force, wanted and were available for work, and had looked for a job sometime in the prior 12 months. They were not counted as unemployed because they had not searched for work in the 4 weeks preceding the survey. Read the full report from the BLS here .