FOR TECHNICAL INFORMATION:
     Patrick C. Jackman (202) 606-7000      USDL-98-141
 CPI QUICKLINE:         (202) 606-6994      TRANSMISSION OF
 FOR CURRENT AND HISTORICAL INFORMATION:    MATERIAL IN THIS
                        (202) 606-7828      RELEASE IS EMBARGOED
 MEDIA CONTACT:         (202) 606-5902      UNTIL 8:30 A.M. (EDT)
 INTERNET ADDRESS:                          Tuesday, April 14, 1998
     http://stats.bls.gov/cpihome.htm
 
                                     
                     CONSUMER PRICE INDEX:  MARCH 1998
 
     The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) rose 0.2
 percent in March before seasonal adjustment to a level of 162.2 (1982-
 84=100), the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor
 reported today.  For the 12-month period ended in March, the CPI-U has
 increased 1.4 percent.
 
      The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers
 (CPI-W) rose 0.1 percent in March, prior to seasonal adjustment.  The
 March 1998 CPI-W level of 158.7 was 1.1 percent higher than the index in
 March 1997.
 
 CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U)
     
      On a seasonally adjusted basis, the CPI-U was unchanged in March,
 following a 0.1 percent rise in February.  The food index was unchanged
 for the second consecutive month.  Grocery store food prices decreased 0.1
 percent in March, the same as in February, reflecting declines in the
 indexes for fruits and vegetables, for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs, and
 for nonalcoholic beverages.  The energy index declined sharply for the
 fourth consecutive month--down 1.2 percent in March.  The index for
 petroleum-based energy decreased 3.1 percent, while the index for energy
 services increased 0.2 percent.  Excluding food and energy, the CPI-U rose
 0.1 percent, following an increase of 0.3 percent in February.  Declines
 in the indexes for apparel and for tobacco, coupled with a smaller
 increase in shelter costs, were largely responsible for the deceleration.
 
 Table A.  Percent changes in CPI for Urban Consumers (CPI-U)
                                   Seasonally adjusted                Un-
                                                          Compound  adjusted
     Expenditure        Changes from preceding month    annual rate  12-mos.
      Category               1997             1998      3-mos. ended  ended
                     Sep. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar.   Mar. '98    Mar.
                                                                      '98.
                                                                                                                                           
 All Items            .2    .2   .1   .1   .0   .1   .0     .2       1.4
  Food and beverages  .1    .2   .2   .1   .3   .0   .0    1.0       1.9
  Housing             .3    .3   .3   .1   .1   .1   .2    1.5       2.1
  Apparel             .2    .1   .1   .2  -.5   .2  -.2   -2.1        .3
  Transportation      .3    .0  -.6  -.3  -.3  -.4  -.6   -5.2      -2.6
  Medical care        .2    .2   .3   .3   .1   .3   .3    2.9       2.7
  Recreation           -     -    -    -   .3   .3   .4    4.1       1.6
  Education and                                                         
    communication      -     -    -    -   .0  -.1   .3     .8       2.5
    Other goods and                                                     
      services        .3    .7   .4   .4   .4   .8  -.3    3.9       5.0
  Special Indexes                                                       
     Energy           .9   -.2   .0 -1.8 -2.4 -2.2 -1.2  -21.1      -8.6
   Food               .1    .3   .1   .0   .3   .0   .0    1.3       2.0
   All Items less                                                       
     food and energy  .2    .2   .1   .2   .2   .3   .1    2.4       2.1
 
 
      For the first 3-months of 1998, the CPI-U advanced at a 0.2 percent
 seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR).  This compares with an increase of
 1.7 percent in all of 1997.  Falling energy prices were responsible for
 the deceleration in the first quarter of 1998. The energy index, which
 decreased 3.4 percent in 1997, declined at a 21.1 percent SAAR in the
 first three months of 1998.  Petroleum-based energy costs fell at a 33.3
 percent SAAR, while charges for energy services decreased at a 9.4 percent
 annual rate.  The food index rose at a 1.3 percent SAAR thus far in 1998,
 following a 1.5 percent increase in 1997.  Grocery store food prices
 increased at a 0.5 percent SAAR in the first 3 months, as the declines in
 the indexes for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs and for nonalcoholic
 beverages were more than offset by increases in the four other major
 grocery store food groups. The CPI-U excluding food and energy advanced at
 a 2.4 percent SAAR in the first 3 months of 1998, following a 2.2 percent
 rise for all of 1997, which was the smallest annual increase in this index
 since a 1.5 percent rise in 1965.  The rates for selected groups for the
 last four and one-quarter years are shown below.
                       
                            
                             Percent change
                                              
                 12 months ended in December    SAAR 3 months
                                                ended in Mar.
                      1994   1995  1996   1997      1998
 All Items             2.7    2.5   3.3    1.7       0.2
   Food and            
      beverages        2.7    2.1   4.2    1.6       1.0
   Housing             2.2    3.0   2.9    2.4       1.5
   Apparel            -1.6    0.1  -0.2    1.0      -2.1
   Transportation      3.8    1.5   4.4   -1.4      -5.2
   Medical care        4.9    3.9   3.0    2.8       2.9
   Recreation          1.4    2.8   3.0    1.5       4.1
   Education and                                 
      communication    3.3    4.0   3.4    3.0       0.8
   Other goods and                               
      services         4.2    4.3   3.6    5.2       3.9
 Special indexes                                  
   Energy              2.2   -1.3   8.6   -3.4     -21.1
      Energy           
        commodities    5.2   -3.3  13.8   -6.9     -33.3
      Energy          
        services      -0.6    0.8   3.8    0.2      -9.4    
   All items less     
        energy         2.6    2.9   2.9    2.1       2.1
      Food             2.9    2.1   4.3    1.5       1.3
      All Items                                  
        less food and
           energy      2.6    3.0   2.6    2.2       2.4

      Shelter          3.0    3.5   2.9    3.4       2.7
 

      In March, the food and beverages index was unchanged for the second
 consecutive month.  The index for grocery store food prices declined 0.1
 percent in March, the same as in February.  Decreases in the indexes for
 fruits and vegetables, for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs, and for
 nonalcoholic beverages more than offset moderate increases in the other
 major grocery store food groups.  The index for fruits and vegetables
 declined 1.0 percent in March, reflecting decreases in the indexes for
 both fresh fruits--down 2.6 percent--and fresh vegetables--down 0.3
 percent.  The index for processed fruits and vegetables rose 0.8 percent.
 The index for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs declined for the fourth
 consecutive month--down 0.4 percent in March.  The index for beef
 increased 0.3 percent in March as beef prices registered their first
 increase since September.  This increase was more than offset by price
 declines for pork, for poultry, for fish, and for eggs. The index for
 nonalcoholic beverages decreased 0.3 percent.  On the other hand, the
 other three major groups--dairy and related products, cereal and bakery
 products, and other food at home--increased 0.5, 0.4 and 0.3 percent,
 respectively.  The other two components of the food and beverage index--
 food away from home and alcoholic beverages--rose 0.2 and declined 0.1
 percent, respectively.
      
      The housing component rose 0.2 percent in March, following increases
 of 0.1 percent in each of the first two months of the year.  Shelter costs
 rose 0.2 percent.  Within shelter, the index for rent rose 0.4 percent,
 owners' equivalent rent increased 0.2 percent, and the cost of lodging
 away from home decreased 0.4 percent.  (Prior to seasonal adjustment, the
 latter index rose 1.7 percent.)  The index for fuels and utilities, which
 registered declines in each of the three preceding months, increased 0.3
 percent in March.  The index for household fuels rose 0.4 percent; the
 index for natural gas increased 2.3 percent, the index for fuel oil was
 unchanged, and the index for electricity declined 0.5 percent.  (Prior to
 seasonal adjustment, prices for fuel oil fell 1.5 percent and charges for
 natural gas and electricity declined 0.3 and 0.2 percent, respectively.)
 The index for household furnishings and operation increased 0.1 percent in
 March.
      
      The transportation component declined for the fifth consecutive
 month, down 0.6 percent in March.  For the third consecutive month, a
 sharp drop in the index for motor fuels more than offset a large increase
 in the index for airline fares.  The index for gasoline fell 3.5 percent
 in March and has declined 14.0 percent in the last six months.  As of
 March, gasoline prices were 24.0 percent lower than their peak level of
 November 1990.  The index for new and used vehicle prices declined 0.2
 percent; a decline of 1.5 percent in used car and truck prices more than
 offset a 0.1 percent rise in the index for new vehicles.  Public
 transportation costs rose 0.4 percent in March.  The index for airline
 fares increased substantially for the third consecutive month, up 2.0
 percent in March, following increases of 2.7 and 3.2 percent in January
 and February, respectively.
 
      The index for apparel declined 0.2 percent in March, following a 0.2
 percent increase in February.  (Prior to seasonal adjustment, apparel
 prices rose 2.3 percent, reflecting the introduction of higher priced
 spring-summer wear.)
      
      Medical care costs rose 0.3 percent in March to a level 2.7 percent
 above a year ago.  The index for medical care commodities--prescription
 drugs, nonprescription drugs, and medical supplies--was virtually
 unchanged.  The index for medical care services rose 0.3 percent.  Charges
 for professional services and for hospital and related services increased
 0.4 and 0.2 percent, respectively.
 
      Recreation costs rose 0.4 percent in March, following increases of
 0.3 percent in both January and February.  Recreational services costs
 rose 0.9 percent, reflecting increases of 1.2 percent in the index for
 admissions to movies, theaters, and concerts and 0.9 percent in the index
 for club membership dues and fees for participant sports.
      
      The index for education and communication increased 0.3 percent in
 March after declining 0.1 percent in February, reflecting an upturn in the
 index for communication costs.  Within the communication category,
 increases in local and long distance telephone charges--up 0.7 and 0.2
 percent, respectively--more than offset declines in the indexes for
 personal computers and peripheral equipment and for cellular telephone
 services--down 2.8 and 0.7 percent, respectively.
 
      The index for other goods and services declined 0.3 percent in March,
 following a 0.8 percent rise in February.  The index for tobacco and
 smoking products, which rose 2.9 percent in February, declined 2.6 percent
 in March.
 
 CPI for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W)
 
      On a seasonally adjusted basis, the CPI for Urban Wage Earners and
 Clerical Workers declined 0.1 percent in March.
 

 Table B.  Percent changes in CPI for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical
 Workers (CPI-W)
                                 Seasonally adjusted                 Un-
                                                        Compound   adjusted
     Expenditure        Changes from preceding month    annual rate  12-
                                                                    mos.
      Category             1997              1998        3-mos.     ended
                                                          ended
                    Sep. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar.  Mar. '98   Mar'98
 All Items           .2    .2   .1   .1   .0   .0  -.1    -.3       1.1
  Food and           .1    .3   .1   .0   .3   .0   .0    1.3       1.9
 beverages
  Housing            .3    .3   .3   .0   .0   .1   .3    1.6       2.0
  Apparel            .2    .0   .0   .0  -.5  -.2  -.5   -4.5       -.6
  Transportation     .2   -.1  -.6  -.3  -.5  -.4  -.8   -6.6      -3.0
  Medical care       .2    .2   .3   .4   .2   .2   .3    2.7       2.7
  Recreation          -     -    -    -   .3   .3   .3    3.6       1.6
  Education and                                                        
   communication      -     -    -    -  -.1   .0   .4    1.2       2.5
    Other goods and                                                    
   services          .5    .7   .4   .4   .5  1.1  -.6    3.9       5.2
 Special Indexes                                                       
    Energy           .9   -.2  -.2 -1.9 -2.5 -2.1 -1.3  -21.2      -8.9
                                                                    
  Food               .1    .2   .2  -.1   .4  -.1   .0    1.3       1.9
  All Items less                                                       
    food and energy  .2    .2   .1   .2   .2   .2   .1    1.9       1.9
 
 
 Consumer Price Index data for April are scheduled for release on Thursday,
 May 14, 1998, at 8:30 A.M. (EDT).
 
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------

 CPI (Old Series)
 
          For the first six months of 1998, BLS also will calculate Old
 Series CPI-U and Old Series CPI-W based on the 1982-84 expenditure pattern
 used in the CPI from 1987 through 1997.  These Old Series data are
 contained in tables 1(OS)-4(OS).  From February to March, the Old Series
 CPI-U and the Old Series CPI-W each rose 0.1 percent.  Note these series
 are not seasonally adjusted.

 -------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 Overview of Publication Changes
 
 Beginning in 1998, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) introduced
 a new geographic area sample, a revised item structure and updated
 expenditure weights into the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
 Approximately every ten years the CPI undertakes this type of
 revision in order to keep the index up-to-date.  Since World War
 II, revisions of the CPI have been introduced in 1953, 1964, 1978,
 and 1987.
 
 Because the changes the CPI undergoes during each revision can
 have a major impact on our users, special steps were taken in
 order to ameliorate the effects of these changes.  Beginning with
 the release of the January 1997 index, data series that were to be
 changed or dropped from publication have been footnoted in all BLS
 published tables.  This provided an early warning for users to
 reconsider their use of those indexes and provided time for them
 to make changes in their use.  The 1998 CPI Revision contains
 substantial changes in both the items being presented and the
 frequency of local area index publication.
 
 Changes to the Item Structure
 
 Effective in 1998, there are considerable changes to both the
 items being priced and the manner in which they are being
 aggregated in the CPI.  The most notable change in presentation is
 a reconstruction of several major groups with a resulting change
 from the formerly available seven major groups to the new total of
 eight.
 
 Formerly the major groups were: Food and Beverages, Housing,
 Apparel and Upkeep, Transportation, Medical Care, Entertainment
 and Other Goods and Services.  Three of these groups-- Food and
 Beverages, Transportation, and Medical care remained the same.
 The Apparel group was modified to exclude apparel upkeep products
 and services.  The Entertainment group has been slightly redefined
 into a major group called Recreation and a new major group,
 Education and Communication, has been formed from  past
 subelements of the Housing, Entertainment and Other Goods and
 Services groups
 
 Other important changes in our item structure at lower levels are
 an expansion of our Food Away from Home index, a reorientation of
 our car and truck indexes to a vehicle index, and the expansion of
 our information processing equipment index.
 
 For a complete listing of the new CPI Publication Structure see
 Table X.
 
 Changes to the Geographic Structure
 
 In each revision, the CPI geographic sample is selected to be
 representative of the current demographics of the United States.
 The 1998 revision utilizes the 1990 Census of population.  The CPI
 developed an updated area sample design, decided on new local area
 indexes and changed the frequency of publication for local area
 indexes in order to better reflect these new demographics.
  
 In addition to the national index, the BLS formerly published
 indexes for 29 metropolitan areas.  In 1998, it continues to
 publish indexes for all but two of these areas--Buffalo-Niagara
 Falls, NY, and New Orleans, LA.  Due to the revised Metropolitan
 Area (MA) definitions issued by the Office of Management and
 Budget(OMB), two other areas, Washington, DC, and Baltimore, MD,
 which the BLS formerly published separately, constitute a new
 Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area.  A single index is now
 published for this consolidated area.
 
 The new publication plan for local area indexes, that began with
 the index for January 1998, is summarized below:
 
      *  Monthly indexes are now published for the three largest
 metropolitan areas.  Because of sample design considerations,
 indexes for the Philadelphia and San Francisco areas, both
 formerly published monthly, are now published every other month
 following the release of the December, 1997 index.
 
      *  Bimonthly indexes are published for the next 11 largest
 areas, including Atlanta and Seattle, which used to have
 semiannual average indexes.
 
      *  Semiannual average indexes are now published for 12
 additional areas, including Pittsburgh and St. Louis, which
 formerly had bimonthly indexes.
 
      *  The BLS continues to publish separate indexes for the four
 Census regions of the United States.  However, beginning in 1998,
 there are only two area size classes for metropolitan areas,
 instead of the former three: Size A - areas with a population
 greater than 1.5 million; and Size B/C - areas with less than 1.5
 million population.  This cutoff of 1.5 million in population
 reflects a rise from the former cutoff of 1.2 million and is
 important since cities in size class A are those for which the
 Bureau publishes city level indexes.  The B/C size class is a
 combination of the old Size B and Size C metropolitan areas.  In
 addition to the two metropolitan area size indexes for each
 region, separate Size D indexes for urban non-metropolitan areas
 continue to be published for both the Midwest and the South.
 Separate indexes for Northeast and West urban nonmetropolitan
 areas were discontinued in 1987.
 
 The following is the full list of areas for which indexes are
 currently published, beginning in January, 1998:

 1. Metropolitan Areas for which a local index is published monthly:
 
  New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-CT-PA
  Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI
  Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA
 
 2. Metropolitan Areas for which a local index is published bimonthly:
 
 In Odd Months (i.e. January,            In Even Months (i.e.
 March, etc.)                            February, April, etc.)
 ----------------------------            ----------------------                  

 Boston-Brockton-Nashua, MA-NH-          Philadelphia-Wilmington-
 ME-CT                                   Atlantic City, PA-NJ-DE-MD
 
 Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-            San Francisco-Oakland-San
 VA-WV                                   Jose, CA
 
 Cleveland-Akron, OH  		         Atlanta, GA

 Dallas-Fort Worth, TX                   Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX
                                         
 		                         Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, MI
                                         
		                         Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL
                                         
                                         Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA
                  
 3. Metropolitan Areas for which a local index is published  
    semiannually (In January and July)
 
 Pittsburgh, PA                          Cincinnati-Hamilton, OH-KY-IN 
 Kansas City, MO-KS                      Milwaukee-Racine, WI
 Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI             St. Louis, MO-IL
 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL     Anchorage, AK
 Denver-Boulder-Greeley, CO              Honolulu, HI
 Portland-Salem, OR-WA                   San Diego, CA

 --------------------------------------------------------------------- 
 
 BLS to Maintain Current Reference Base of 1982-84-100 for most CPI
 index series
      The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) previously indicated its
 intention to change the numerical reference base for both the
 Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) and the
 Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers
 (CPI-W) from their present 1982-84=100 base to a 1993-95=100 base,
 effective with release of the January 1999 index in February 1999.
 BLS also indicated that the alternate, or 1967=100 base, would be
 discontinued in 1999 as well.  This plan was initially described
 in the December 1996 Monthly Labor Review, a publication which
 contained several articles that dealt with the 1998 CPI Revision.
 
      The BLS has now decided not to implement this rebasing plan.
 Instead, the BLS will maintain the reference base of 1982-84=100
 used for most items.  In addition, the 1967=100 reference base
 will continue to be the alternate base for the All Items indexes.
 This decision is based in part on the fact that historical data
 have less precision after rebasing.  Rebasing is simply an
 arithmetic transformation that does not substantially impact the
 index.  Because the rebased index values are smaller, however, the
 loss of precision due to rounding is more serious.  In addition,
 retaining the old index reference bases would spare users the
 inconvenience associated with conversion.
 
      Changes in the numerical reference base should not be
 confused with the plans by BLS to update the market basket of the
 CPI.  With release of the January CPI in February 1998, the
 expenditure weights applied to CPI categories will be based on
 consumer spending patterns for 1993-95.
 
 -----------------------------------------------------------------

 A Note on Seasonally Adjusted and Unadjusted Data
      Because price data are used for different purposes by
 different groups, the Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes
 seasonally adjusted as well as unadjusted changes each month.
 
      For analyzing general price trends in the economy, seasonally
 adjusted changes are usually preferred since they eliminate the
 effect of changes that normally occur at the same time and in
 about the same magnitude every year--such as price movements
 resulting from changing climatic conditions, production cycles,
 model changeovers, holidays, and sales.
 
      The unadjusted data are of primary interest to consumers
 concerned about the prices they actually pay.  Unadjusted data
 also are used extensively for escalation purposes.  Many
 collective bargaining contract agreements and pension plans, for
 example, tie compensation changes to the Consumer Price Index
 unadjusted for seasonal variation.
 
      Seasonal factors used in computing the seasonally adjusted
 indexes are derived by the X-12-ARIMA Seasonal Adjustment Method.
 The updated seasonal data at the end of 1977 replaced data from
 1967 through 1977.  Subsequent annual updates have replaced 5
 years of seasonal data, e.g., data from 1993 through 1997 were
 replaced at the end of 1997.  The seasonal movement of all items
 and 54 other aggregations is derived by combining the seasonal
 movement of 73 selected components.  Each year the seasonal status
 of every series is reevaluated based upon certain statistical
 criteria.  If any of the 73 components change their seasonal
 adjustment status from seasonally adjusted to not seasonally
 adjusted, not seasonally adjusted data will be used for the last 5
 years, but the seasonally adjusted indexes will be used before
 that period.
 
      Seasonally adjusted data, including the All items index
 levels, are subject to revision for up to five years after their
 original release.  For this reason, BLS advises against the use of
 these data in escalation agreements.
 
      Effective with the calculation of the seasonal factors for
 1990, the Bureau of Labor Statistics has used an enhanced seasonal
 adjustment procedure called Intervention Analysis Seasonal
 Adjustment for some CPI series.  Intervention Analysis Seasonal
 Adjustment allows for better estimates of seasonally adjusted
 data.  Extreme values and/or sharp movements which might distort
 the seasonal pattern are estimated and removed from the data prior
 to calculation of seasonal factors.  Beginning with the
 calculation of seasonal factors for 1996, X-12-ARIMA software was
 used for Intervention Analysis Seasonal Adjustment.
 
      For the fuel oil and the motor fuels indexes, this procedure
 was used to offset the effects that extreme price volatility would
 otherwise have had on the estimates of seasonally adjusted data
 for those series.  For some women's apparel indexes and the girls'
 apparel index, the procedure was used to offset the effects of
 changes in pricing methodology.  For the tobacco and smoking
 products index, this procedure was used to offset the effects of
 increases in excise taxes and wholesale tobacco prices.  For some
 alcoholic beverage series, Intervention Analysis Seasonal
 Adjustment was used to offset the effects of excise tax increases.
 For the Nonalcoholic beverages index, the procedure was used to
 offset the effects of a large increase in coffee prices due to
 adverse weather.  For the Water and sewerage maintenance index,
 the procedure was used to account for a data collection anomaly.
 
      A description of Intervention Analysis Seasonal Adjustment,
 as well as a list of unusual events modeled and seasonal factors
 for these items may be obtained by writing the Bureau of Labor
 Statistics, Division of Consumer Prices and Price Indexes,
 Washington, DC 20212 or by calling Claire McAnaw Gallagher on
 (202) 606-6968.
 
 

 Table 1. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by expenditure category and commodity
 and service group

 (1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)
                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                        
                                                                                   Unadjusted                           
                                                 Relative   Unadjusted indexes percent change to   Seasonally adjusted  
                                               importance,                      Mar. 1998 from-    percent change from- 
                     CPI-U                       December                                                               
                                                   1997       Feb.      Mar.                                            
                                                              1998      1998     Mar.     Feb.   Dec. to Jan. to Feb. to
                                                                                 1997     1998     Jan.    Feb.    Mar. 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                        
             Expenditure category                                                                                       
                                                                                                                        
 All items ...................................    100.000     161.9     162.2      1.4      0.2     0.0     0.1     0.0 
 All items (1967=100) ........................          -     484.9     485.8        -        -       -       -       - 
                                                                                                                        
  Food and beverages .........................     16.310     159.8     160.1      1.9      0.2     0.3     0.0     0.0 
   Food ......................................     15.326     159.4     159.7      2.0      0.2     0.3     0.0     0.0 
    Food at home .............................      9.646     160.0     160.2      1.6      0.1     0.4    -0.1    -0.1 
     Cereals and bakery products .............      1.536     179.7     179.6      1.6     -0.1    -0.1     0.2     0.4 
     Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ..........      2.629     147.5     147.2     -0.4     -0.2    -0.3    -0.1    -0.4 
     Dairy and related products (1)...........      1.037     147.7     148.4      1.6      0.5     0.3    -0.4     0.5 
     Fruits and vegetables ...................      1.394     193.8     196.1      3.6      1.2     2.9    -0.8    -1.0 
     Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage                                                                                
         materials ...........................      1.077     134.8     134.2      3.6     -0.4    -0.2     0.1    -0.3 
     Other food at home ......................      1.972     149.1     149.5      2.7      0.3     0.0     0.1     0.3 
      Sugar and sweets .......................       .377     149.6     150.8      3.1      0.8     0.5    -0.4     0.9 
      Fats and oils ..........................       .291     141.5     142.2     -0.1      0.5    -1.1     0.7     0.6 
      Other foods ............................      1.305     164.2     164.3      2.5      0.1     0.1     0.1     0.1 
       Other miscellaneous foods (1) (2)......       .309     100.4     101.5        -      1.1     0.4     0.0     1.1 
    Food away from home (1)...................      5.680     159.6     159.9      2.5      0.2     0.1     0.3     0.2 
     Other food away from home (1) (2)........       .172     100.4     100.3        -     -0.1     0.1     0.3    -0.1 
   Alcoholic beverages .......................       .983     165.0     165.1      1.9      0.1     0.2    -0.1    -0.1 
                                                                                                                        
  Housing ....................................     39.560     158.8     159.2      2.1      0.3     0.1     0.1     0.2 
   Shelter ...................................     29.788     180.1     180.8      3.2      0.4     0.2     0.3     0.2 
    Rent of primary residence ................      6.885     169.9     170.3      3.1      0.2     0.2     0.1     0.4 
    Lodging away from home (2)................      2.327     109.3     111.2        -      1.7    -0.2     0.5    -0.4 
    Owners' equivalent rent of primary                                                                                  
        residence (3).........................     20.199     185.5     185.9      3.2      0.2     0.2     0.3     0.2 
    Tenants' and household insurance (1) (2)..       .377     100.2     100.3        -      0.1     0.3    -0.1     0.1 
   Fuels and utilities .......................      4.942     127.4     127.1     -2.2     -0.2    -1.2    -0.9     0.3 
    Fuels ....................................      4.018     112.8     112.5     -4.0     -0.3    -1.6    -1.3     0.4 
     Fuel oil and other fuels ................       .261      95.2      94.4    -10.5     -0.8    -2.1    -2.3     0.4 
     Gas (piped) and electricity .............      3.757     119.7     119.4     -3.2     -0.3    -1.5    -1.2     0.2 
   Household furnishings and operations ......      4.831     126.1     126.3      0.7      0.2     0.2     0.3     0.1 
                                                                                                                        
  Apparel ....................................      4.944     131.9     134.9      0.3      2.3    -0.5     0.2    -0.2 
   Men's and boys' apparel ...................      1.390     130.8     133.6      3.4      2.1     0.2     0.0     0.6 
   Women's and girls' apparel ................      1.990     124.3     129.9     -0.2      4.5    -1.0     0.7     0.1 
   Infants' and toddlers' apparel (1).........       .268     123.1     124.4     -4.1      1.1    -0.8    -1.4     1.1 
   Footwear ..................................       .895     126.6     126.5     -0.4     -0.1    -0.5    -1.3    -0.8 
                                                                                                                        
  Transportation .............................     17.578     142.1     141.2     -2.6     -0.6    -0.3    -0.4    -0.6 
   Private transportation ....................     16.240     138.4     137.4     -2.9     -0.7    -0.5    -0.6    -0.6 
    New and used motor vehicles (2)...........      7.899     100.2      99.9     -1.7     -0.3     0.1     0.0    -0.2 
     New vehicles ............................      5.063     144.4     144.4     -0.7      0.0     0.1    -0.1     0.1 
     Used cars and trucks (1).................      1.880     148.4     146.1     -5.4     -1.5     0.1     0.2    -1.5 
    Motor fuel ...............................      2.995      94.1      90.9    -14.6     -3.4    -3.7    -3.3    -3.5 
     Gasoline (all types) ....................      2.976      93.5      90.3    -14.7     -3.4    -3.6    -3.4    -3.5 
    Motor vehicle parts and equipment ........       .560     101.4     101.2     -1.0     -0.2    -0.3     0.1     0.0 
    Motor vehicle maintenance and repair .....      1.603     165.5     165.7      2.6      0.1     0.2     0.3     0.1 
   Public transportation .....................      1.338     191.2     193.7      3.0      1.3     1.6     1.4     0.4 
                                                                                                                        
  Medical care ...............................      5.614     239.3     239.8      2.7      0.2     0.1     0.3     0.3 
   Medical care commodities ..................      1.222     218.4     218.5      1.8      0.0     0.2     0.1     0.0 
   Medical care services .....................      4.392     244.2     244.8      3.0      0.2     0.1     0.4     0.3 
    Professional services ....................      2.808     219.7     220.4      2.9      0.3     0.3     0.2     0.4 
    Hospital and related services ............      1.334     285.2     285.2      3.1      0.0    -0.1     0.5     0.2 
                                                                                                                        
  Recreation (2)..............................      6.145     100.7     101.0      1.6      0.3     0.3     0.3     0.4 
   Video and audio (1) (2)....................      1.763     101.2     101.4      2.3      0.2     0.6     0.6     0.2 
                                                                                                                        
  Education and communication (2).............      5.528      99.8      99.9      2.5      0.1     0.0    -0.1     0.3 
   Education (2)..............................      2.615     100.4     100.5      5.1      0.1     0.4     0.3     0.5 
    Educational books and supplies ...........       .194     246.9     247.5      5.1      0.2    -0.2     0.7     0.6 
    Tuition, other school fees, and childcare       2.421     289.2     289.5      5.2      0.1     0.5     0.3     0.4 
   Communication (1) (2)......................      2.913      99.2      99.3     -1.3      0.1    -0.4    -0.4     0.1 
    Information and information processing (1)                                                                          
        (2)...................................      2.706      99.1      99.3     -1.4      0.2    -0.4    -0.5     0.2 
     Telephone services (1) (2)...............      2.357     100.0     100.4        -      0.4    -0.1     0.1     0.4 
     Information and information processing                                                                             
         other than telephone services (1) (4)       .350      44.3      43.4    -17.2     -2.0    -2.5    -4.1    -2.0 
      Personal computers and peripheral                                                                                 
          equipment (1) (2)...................       .234      91.3      88.7        -     -2.8    -3.1    -5.8    -2.8 
                                                                                                                        
  Other goods and services ...................      4.321     233.1     232.4      5.0     -0.3     0.4     0.8    -0.3 
   Tobacco and smoking products ..............       .894     261.2     254.1      6.7     -2.7     0.7     2.9    -2.6 
   Personal care (1)..........................      3.427     155.0     155.5      2.4      0.3     0.4     0.3     0.3 
    Personal care products (1)................       .737     146.7     147.3      2.6      0.4     0.6     0.4     0.4 
    Personal care services (1)................       .963     164.3     164.7      2.2      0.2     0.2     0.0     0.2 
    Miscellaneous personal services ..........      1.465     232.1     232.8      4.0      0.3     0.2     0.0     0.3 
                                                                                                                        
          Commodity and service group                                                                                   
                                                                                                                        
 Commodities .................................     42.635     141.5     141.5     -0.4      0.0    -0.1    -0.1    -0.4 
  Food and beverages .........................     16.310     159.8     160.1      1.9      0.2     0.3     0.0     0.0 
  Commodities less food and beverages ........     26.326     130.5     130.4     -1.9     -0.1    -0.4    -0.2    -0.5 
   Nondurables less food and beverages .......     14.729     132.1     132.1     -2.1      0.0    -1.1    -0.1    -1.0 
    Apparel ..................................      4.944     131.9     134.9      0.3      2.3    -0.5     0.2    -0.2 
    Nondurables less food, beverages, and                                                                               
        apparel ..............................      9.785     137.2     135.6     -3.3     -1.2    -1.2    -0.6    -1.0 
   Durables ..................................     11.596     128.2     127.9     -1.5     -0.2     0.2    -0.2    -0.2 
 Services ....................................     57.365     182.4     182.9      2.6      0.3     0.1     0.2     0.2 
  Rent of shelter (3).........................     29.410     187.5     188.1      3.2      0.3     0.2     0.3     0.3 
  Transportation services ....................      6.984     187.9     188.4      1.9      0.3     0.6     0.4     0.2 
  Other services .............................     10.625     214.4     215.1      3.8      0.3     0.2     0.2     0.4 
                                                                                                                        
                Special indexes                                                                                         
                                                                                                                        
 All items less food .........................     84.674     162.3     162.6      1.2      0.2    -0.1     0.1     0.1 
 All items less shelter ......................     70.212     156.4     156.5      0.6      0.1    -0.1    -0.1    -0.1 
 All items less medical care .................     94.386     157.5     157.8      1.2      0.2     0.0     0.1     0.0 
 Commodities less food .......................     27.309     131.9     131.8     -1.7     -0.1    -0.4    -0.2    -0.5 
 Nondurables less food .......................     15.712     134.1     134.1     -1.8      0.0    -0.9    -0.1    -0.9 
 Nondurables less food and apparel ...........     10.768     138.9     137.5     -2.8     -1.0    -1.1    -0.6    -1.0 
 Nondurables .................................     31.039     146.1     146.2      0.0      0.1    -0.2    -0.2    -0.4 
 Services less rent of shelter (3)............     27.955     190.1     190.6      2.1      0.3    -0.1     0.0     0.4 
 Services less medical care services .........     52.973     176.6     177.2      2.6      0.3     0.1     0.1     0.3 
 Energy ......................................      7.013     103.2     101.6     -8.6     -1.6    -2.4    -2.2    -1.2 
 All items less energy .......................     92.987     169.6     170.1      2.2      0.3     0.2     0.2     0.1 
  All items less food and energy .............     77.661     172.1     172.6      2.1      0.3     0.2     0.3     0.1 
   Commodities less food and energy                                                                                     
       commodities ...........................     24.053     142.7     143.1      0.1      0.3     0.1     0.2    -0.1 
    Energy commodities .......................      3.256      94.3      91.3    -14.4     -3.2    -3.5    -3.3    -3.1 
   Services less energy services .............     53.608     188.8     189.4      3.0      0.3     0.2     0.3     0.2 
 Purchasing power of the consumer dollar .....          -    $ .618    $ .617        -        -       -       -       - 
 Purchasing power of the consumer dollar - old                                                                          
     base ....................................          -    $ .206    $ .206        -        -       -       -       - 

   1    Not seasonally adjusted.
   2    Indexes on a December 1997=100 base.
   3    Indexes on a December 1982=100 base.
   4    Indexes on a December 1988=100 base.
   -    Data not available.
 NOTE:  Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.

 Table 2. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): Seasonally adjusted U.S. city average, by expenditure
 category and commodity and service group

 (1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)
                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                        
                                                 Seasonally adjusted indexes    Seasonally adjusted annual rate percent 
                                                                                               change for               
                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                        
                     CPI-U                                                           3 months ended--         6 months  
                                                                                                              ended--   
                                                 Dec.    Jan.    Feb.    Mar.                                           
                                                 1997    1998    1998    1998                                           
                                                                                June   Sep.   Dec.   Mar.   Sep.   Mar. 
                                                                                1997   1997   1997   1998   1997   1998 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                        
             Expenditure category                                                                                       
                                                                                                                        
 All items ...................................  161.9   161.9   162.0   162.0    1.5    2.3    1.5    0.2    1.9    0.9 
                                                                                                                        
  Food and beverages .........................  159.3   159.7   159.7   159.7    2.1    2.8    1.8    1.0    2.4    1.4 
   Food ......................................  158.9   159.4   159.4   159.4    2.1    2.8    1.5    1.3    2.4    1.4 
    Food at home .............................  159.3   159.9   159.7   159.5    2.3    2.6    1.0    0.5    2.4    0.8 
     Cereals and bakery products .............  179.1   179.0   179.4   180.1    1.1    1.4    1.8    2.3    1.2    2.0 
     Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ..........  147.7   147.3   147.2   146.6    4.4    0.3   -3.2   -2.9    2.3   -3.1 
     Dairy and related products (1)...........  147.8   148.3   147.7   148.4   -5.4   -1.7   12.5    1.6   -3.5    6.9 
     Fruits and vegetables ...................  190.9   196.5   194.9   193.0   -1.5    9.1    1.9    4.5    3.7    3.2 
     Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage                                                                                
         materials ...........................  134.3   134.0   134.1   133.7   20.0    5.1   -6.6   -1.8   12.3   -4.2 
     Other food at home ......................  148.7   148.7   148.8   149.3    7.7    3.3   -0.5    1.6    5.5    0.5 
      Sugar and sweets .......................  149.3   150.0   149.4   150.7    5.0    1.4    2.4    3.8    3.2    3.1 
      Fats and oils ..........................  141.5   140.0   141.0   141.8   -0.8    1.7   -2.0    0.9    0.4   -0.6 
      Other foods ............................  163.4   163.6   163.8   164.0    2.5    2.8    3.2    1.5    2.6    2.4 
       Other miscellaneous foods (1) (2)......  100.0   100.4   100.4   101.5      -      -      -    6.1      -      - 
    Food away from home (1)...................  159.0   159.2   159.6   159.9    1.5    3.1    3.1    2.3    2.3    2.7 
     Other food away from home (1) (2)........  100.0   100.1   100.4   100.3      -      -      -    1.2      -      - 
   Alcoholic beverages .......................  164.5   164.9   164.8   164.7    2.0    2.7    2.2    0.5    2.4    1.3 
                                                                                                                        
  Housing ....................................  158.3   158.4   158.6   158.9    2.3    2.1    2.6    1.5    2.2    2.0 
   Shelter ...................................  178.7   179.0   179.5   179.9    3.5    2.8    3.9    2.7    3.1    3.3 
    Rent of primary residence ................  169.1   169.5   169.7   170.3    3.4    3.2    3.1    2.9    3.3    3.0 
    Lodging away from home (2)................  100.0    99.8   100.3    99.9      -      -      -   -0.4      -      - 
    Owners' equivalent rent of primary                                                                                  
        residence (3).........................  184.5   184.9   185.5   185.9    3.4    2.9    3.3    3.1    3.1    3.2 
    Tenants' and household insurance (1) (2)..  100.0   100.3   100.2   100.3      -      -      -    1.2      -      - 
   Fuels and utilities .......................  130.7   129.1   127.9   128.3   -1.2    0.9    0.0   -7.1   -0.2   -3.6 
    Fuels ....................................  116.0   114.2   112.7   113.1   -4.7    0.0   -1.7   -9.6   -2.4   -5.8 
     Fuel oil and other fuels ................   96.1    94.1    91.9    92.3  -14.6  -11.6   -0.4  -14.9  -13.1   -7.9 
     Gas (piped) and electricity .............  123.6   121.8   120.3   120.6   -3.5    1.3   -1.9   -9.4   -1.1   -5.7 
   Household furnishings and operations ......  125.4   125.7   126.1   126.2    1.6   -1.3    0.6    2.6    0.2    1.6 
                                                                                                                        
  Apparel ....................................  133.2   132.5   132.7   132.5    2.4   -0.9    1.2   -2.1    0.8   -0.5 
   Men's and boys' apparel ...................  131.7   132.0   132.0   132.8    3.5    4.1    2.5    3.4    3.8    2.9 
   Women's and girls' apparel ................  125.6   124.4   125.3   125.4    3.2   -3.1   -0.9   -0.6    0.0   -0.8 
   Infants' and toddlers' apparel (1).........  125.8   124.8   123.1   124.4   10.2  -17.4   -2.8   -4.4   -4.6   -3.6 
   Footwear ..................................  129.5   128.8   127.1   126.1   -0.3    3.8    5.8  -10.1    1.7   -2.5 
                                                                                                                        
  Transportation .............................  143.5   143.0   142.4   141.6   -4.1    3.1   -3.3   -5.2   -0.6   -4.2 
   Private transportation ....................  140.3   139.6   138.8   137.9   -4.4    3.2   -3.3   -6.7   -0.7   -5.0 
    New and used motor vehicles (2)...........  100.0   100.1   100.1    99.9      -      -      -   -0.4      -      - 
     New vehicles ............................  143.4   143.6   143.5   143.7   -0.8   -0.6   -1.9    0.8   -0.7   -0.6 
     Used cars and trucks (1).................  147.9   148.1   148.4   146.1   -6.6   -9.2   -0.8   -4.8   -7.9   -2.8 
    Motor fuel ...............................  103.5    99.7    96.4    93.0  -20.3   20.0  -14.7  -34.8   -2.2  -25.4 
     Gasoline (all types) ....................  103.0    99.3    95.9    92.5  -20.7   21.9  -15.7  -35.0   -1.7  -26.0 
    Motor vehicle parts and equipment ........  101.3   101.0   101.1   101.1   -0.8   -0.4   -2.0   -0.8   -0.6   -1.4 
    Motor vehicle maintenance and repair .....  164.7   165.0   165.5   165.7    3.3    1.2    3.5    2.5    2.2    3.0 
   Public transportation .....................  185.8   188.8   191.4   192.1   -0.2    0.2   -1.9   14.3    0.0    5.9 
                                                                                                                        
  Medical care ...............................  237.9   238.2   238.9   239.6    2.8    2.1    3.4    2.9    2.4    3.2 
   Medical care commodities ..................  217.4   217.8   218.0   218.1    2.6    0.4    3.0    1.3    1.5    2.1 
   Medical care services .....................  242.4   242.6   243.5   244.3    2.9    2.4    3.5    3.2    2.6    3.4 
    Professional services ....................  218.1   218.7   219.2   220.0    3.0    2.4    2.6    3.5    2.7    3.1 
    Hospital and related services ............  282.8   282.6   284.0   284.6    2.9    2.3    4.4    2.6    2.6    3.5 
                                                                                                                        
  Recreation (2)..............................  100.0   100.3   100.6   101.0      -      -      -    4.1      -      - 
   Video and audio (1) (2)....................  100.0   100.6   101.2   101.4    2.0    1.2    0.4    5.7    1.6    3.0 
                                                                                                                        
  Education and communication (2).............  100.0   100.0    99.9   100.2      -      -      -    0.8      -      - 
   Education (2)..............................  100.0   100.4   100.7   101.2      -      -      -    4.9      -      - 
    Educational books and supplies ...........  243.8   243.2   244.9   246.3    7.2    4.4    4.7    4.2    5.8    4.4 
    Tuition, other school fees, and childcare   286.8   288.1   289.0   290.3    5.3    4.8    5.3    5.0    5.1    5.2 
   Communication (1) (2)......................  100.0    99.6    99.2    99.3    0.4   -3.5    0.8   -2.8   -1.6   -1.0 
    Information and information processing (1)                                                                          
        (2)...................................  100.0    99.6    99.1    99.3    0.4   -3.9    0.8   -2.8   -1.8   -1.0 
     Telephone services (1) (2)...............  100.0    99.9   100.0   100.4      -      -      -    1.6      -      - 
     Information and information processing                                                                             
         other than telephone services (1) (4)   47.4    46.2    44.3    43.4  -17.8  -10.8   -8.8  -29.7  -14.3  -19.9 
      Personal computers and peripheral                                                                                 
          equipment (1) (2)...................  100.0    96.9    91.3    88.7      -      -      -  -38.1      -      - 
                                                                                                                        
  Other goods and services ...................  230.8   231.8   233.7   233.0    4.8    4.7    5.9    3.9    4.7    4.9 
   Tobacco and smoking products ..............  252.1   253.8   261.2   254.3    5.0    8.5    9.8    3.5    6.7    6.6 
   Personal care (1)..........................  154.0   154.6   155.0   155.5    2.7   -0.3    3.4    4.0    1.2    3.7 
    Personal care products (1)................  145.3   146.1   146.7   147.3    1.7   -1.4    4.5    5.6    0.1    5.1 
    Personal care services (1)................  163.9   164.3   164.3   164.7    3.5    0.5    2.7    2.0    2.0    2.3 
    Miscellaneous personal services ..........  231.2   231.6   231.6   232.4    4.9    4.7    4.6    2.1    4.8    3.4 
                                                                                                                        
          Commodity and service group                                                                                   
                                                                                                                        
 Commodities .................................  142.1   141.9   141.8   141.3   -0.6    2.0   -0.3   -2.2    0.7   -1.3 
  Food and beverages .........................  159.3   159.7   159.7   159.7    2.1    2.8    1.8    1.0    2.4    1.4 
  Commodities less food and beverages ........  131.8   131.3   131.0   130.3   -2.4    1.5   -1.5   -4.5   -0.5   -3.0 
   Nondurables less food and beverages .......  134.6   133.1   133.0   131.7   -2.6    3.9   -1.5   -8.3    0.6   -5.0 
    Apparel ..................................  133.2   132.5   132.7   132.5    2.4   -0.9    1.2   -2.1    0.8   -0.5 
    Nondurables less food, beverages, and                                                                               
        apparel ..............................  140.2   138.5   137.7   136.3   -4.7    6.8   -3.9  -10.7    0.9   -7.3 
   Durables ..................................  127.7   128.0   127.8   127.6   -2.1   -2.2   -1.6   -0.3   -2.1   -0.9 
 Services ....................................  181.7   181.9   182.3   182.7    2.7    2.5    2.9    2.2    2.6    2.6 
  Rent of shelter (3).........................  186.3   186.6   187.1   187.6    3.3    2.9    4.0    2.8    3.1    3.4 
  Transportation services ....................  185.9   187.1   187.8   188.2    1.7    1.3    0.6    5.0    1.5    2.8 
  Other services .............................  213.5   214.0   214.4   215.2    4.5    2.5    3.6    3.2    3.5    3.4 
                                                                                                                        
                Special indexes                                                                                         
                                                                                                                        
 All items less food .........................  162.3   162.2   162.3   162.4    1.3    2.3    1.5    0.2    1.8    0.9 
 All items less shelter ......................  156.8   156.7   156.6   156.5    0.5    2.1    0.8   -0.8    1.3    0.0 
 All items less medical care .................  157.4   157.4   157.5   157.5    1.0    2.3    1.5    0.3    1.7    0.9 
 Commodities less food .......................  133.3   132.8   132.6   131.9   -2.1    1.5   -1.2   -4.1   -0.3   -2.7 
 Nondurables less food .......................  136.3   135.1   135.0   133.8   -2.0    3.3   -1.2   -7.1    0.6   -4.2 
 Nondurables less food and apparel ...........  141.7   140.2   139.4   138.0   -3.6    6.1   -3.0  -10.0    1.1   -6.6 
 Nondurables .................................  147.1   146.8   146.5   145.9   -0.8    3.3    0.5   -3.2    1.2   -1.4 
 Services less rent of shelter (3)............  190.0   189.9   189.9   190.6    2.4    2.4    2.1    1.3    2.4    1.7 
 Services less medical care services .........  176.1   176.3   176.5   177.0    2.8    2.6    3.0    2.1    2.7    2.5 
 Energy ......................................  109.3   106.7   104.3   103.0  -11.8    8.3   -7.7  -21.1   -2.3  -14.7 
 All items less energy .......................  168.9   169.2   169.6   169.8    2.4    1.9    2.2    2.1    2.2    2.2 
  All items less food and energy .............  171.4   171.7   172.2   172.4    2.6    1.7    2.4    2.4    2.1    2.4 
   Commodities less food and energy                                                                                     
       commodities ...........................  142.5   142.6   142.9   142.8    0.6   -0.3    0.6    0.8    0.1    0.7 
    Energy commodities .......................  102.8    99.2    95.9    92.9  -19.7   16.1  -13.2  -33.3   -3.5  -23.9 
   Services less energy services .............  187.6   188.0   188.6   189.0    3.1    2.6    3.3    3.0    2.9    3.1 

   1    Not seasonally adjusted.
   2    Indexes on a December 1997=100 base.
   3    Indexes on a December 1982=100 base.
   4    Indexes on a December 1988=100 base.
   -    Data not available.
 NOTE:  Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.

 Table 3. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): Selected areas, all items index 

 (1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)
                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                           
                                                                                All items                                  
                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                           
                                               Prici-           Indexes             Percent change to    Percent change to 
                     CPI-U                       ng                                  Mar.1998 from--      Feb.1998 from--  
                                               sched-                                                                      
                                                 ule   Dec.   Jan.   Feb.   Mar.                                           
                                                 (1)   1997   1998   1998   1998   Mar.   Jan.   Feb.   Feb.   Dec.   Jan. 
                                                                                   1997   1998   1998   1997   1997   1998 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                           
 U.S. city average ...........................   M    161.3  161.6  161.9  162.2    1.4    0.4    0.2    1.4    0.4    0.2 
                                                                                                                           
            Region and area size(2)                                                                                        
                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                           
 Northeast urban .............................   M    168.4  168.8  169.1  169.3    1.2    0.3    0.1    1.3    0.4    0.2 
   Size A -  More than 1,500,000 .............   M    169.1  169.5  170.1  170.2    1.2    0.4    0.1    1.4    0.6    0.4 
   Size B/C  50,000 to 1,500,000 (3)..........   M    101.3  101.6  101.4  101.7    1.2    0.1    0.3    1.2    0.1   -0.2 
                                                                                                                           
 Midwest urban (4)............................   M    157.3  157.6  158.0  158.4    1.6    0.5    0.3    1.3    0.4    0.3 
   Size A   - More than 1,500,000 ............   M    158.1  158.5  158.9  159.5    1.9    0.6    0.4    1.5    0.5    0.3 
   Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 (3).........   M    101.0  101.2  101.6  101.6    1.4    0.4    0.0    1.4    0.6    0.4 
   Size D -  Nonmetropolitan  (less than                                                                                   
       50,000) ...............................   M    153.0  152.9  152.7  152.9    0.5    0.0    0.1    0.4   -0.2   -0.1 
                                                                                                                           
 South urban .................................   M    157.3  157.6  157.8  158.2    1.1    0.4    0.3    1.1    0.3    0.1 
   Size A -  More than 1,500,000 .............   M    156.3  156.6  156.7  157.2    1.2    0.4    0.3    1.0    0.3    0.1 
   Size B/C -  50,000 to 1,500,000 (3)........   M    101.3  101.5  101.6  101.8    0.9    0.3    0.2    1.0    0.3    0.1 
   Size D -  Nonmetropolitan  (less than                                                                                   
       50,000) ...............................   M    157.0  157.5  157.9  158.4    1.5    0.6    0.3    1.5    0.6    0.3 
                                                                                                                           
 West urban ..................................   M    162.8  163.0  163.2  163.3    1.6    0.2    0.1    1.9    0.2    0.1 
   Size A   - More than 1,500,000 ............   M    163.1  163.3  163.6  163.8    1.8    0.3    0.1    2.2    0.3    0.2 
   Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 (3).........   M    102.0  102.3  102.3  102.3    1.1    0.0    0.0    1.5    0.3    0.0 
                                                                                                                           
                 Size classes                                                                                              
                                                                                                                           
   A (5)......................................   M    145.7  146.0  146.4  146.6    1.5    0.4    0.1    1.6    0.5    0.3 
   B/C (3)....................................   M    101.4  101.6  101.7  101.8    1.1    0.2    0.1    1.2    0.3    0.1 
   D .........................................   M    157.5  157.7  157.8  158.1    1.1    0.3    0.2    1.0    0.2    0.1 
                                                                                                                           
            Selected local areas(6)                                                                                        
                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                           
 Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI ..............   M    162.8  162.8  163.1  164.1    1.9    0.8    0.6    1.2    0.2    0.2 
 Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA .....   M    161.2  161.0  161.1  161.4    1.0    0.2    0.2    1.2   -0.1    0.1 
 New York-Northern N.J.-Long Island,                                                                                       
     NY-NJ-CT-PA .............................   M    171.9  172.1  172.7  173.0    1.3    0.5    0.2    1.5    0.5    0.3 
                                                                                                                           
 Boston-Brockton-Nashua, MA-NH-ME-CT .........   1        -  171.2      -  171.3    1.9    0.1      -      -      -      - 
 Cleveland-Akron, OH .........................   1        -  158.2      -  158.6    2.1    0.3      -      -      -      - 
 Dallas-Fort Worth, TX .......................   1    152.5  152.1      -  153.0      -    0.6      -      -      -      - 
 Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV (7)........   1        -  101.0      -  101.6    0.8    0.6      -      -      -      - 
                                                                                                                           
 Atlanta, GA .................................   2    159.4      -  159.5      -      -      -      -      -    0.1      - 
 Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, MI .................   2    157.1      -  158.5      -      -      -      -    2.0    0.9      - 
 Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX ..............   2    145.6      -  146.1      -      -      -      -    1.1    0.3      - 
 Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL ...................   2    159.3      -  160.2      -      -      -      -      -    0.6      - 
 Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City,                                                                                    
     PA-NJ-DE-MD .............................   2    166.4      -  167.0      -      -      -      -    0.7    0.4      - 
 San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA ..........   2    162.6      -  163.2      -      -      -      -    3.4    0.4      - 
 Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA ................   2    165.0      -  166.5      -      -      -      -      -    0.9      - 

   1    Areas on pricing schedule 2 (see Table 10) will appear next month. 
   2    Regions defined as the four Census regions.  See map in technical notes.
   3    Indexes on a December 1996=100 base.
   4    The 'North Central' region has been renamed the 'Midwest' region by the Census Bureau.  It is composed of the same
 geographic entities.
   5    Indexes on a December 1986=100 base.
   6    In addition, the following metropolitan areas are published semiannually and appear in Tables 34 and 39 of the 
 January and July issues of the CPI Detailed Report: Anchorage, AK; Cincinnati-Hamilton, OH-KY-IN; Denver-Boulder-Greeley,
 CO; Honolulu, HI; Kansas City, MO-KS; Milwaukee-Racine, WI; Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI; Pittsburgh, PA; Portland-Salem,
 OR-WA; St. Louis, MO-IL; San Diego, CA; Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL.
   7    Indexes on a November 1996=100 base.
   -    Data not available.
 NOTE:  Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.

 Table 4. Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W): U.S. city average, by expenditure
 category and commodity and service group

 (1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)
                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                        
                                                                                   Unadjusted                           
                                                 Relative   Unadjusted indexes percent change to   Seasonally adjusted  
                                               importance,                      Mar. 1998 from-    percent change from- 
                     CPI-W                       December                                                               
                                                   1997       Feb.      Mar.                                            
                                                              1998      1998     Mar.     Feb.   Dec. to Jan. to Feb. to
                                                                                 1997     1998     Jan.    Feb.    Mar. 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                        
             Expenditure category                                                                                       
                                                                                                                        
 All items ...................................    100.000     158.5     158.7      1.1      0.1     0.0     0.0    -0.1 
 All items (1967=100) ........................          -     472.2     472.7        -        -       -       -       - 
                                                                                                                        
  Food and beverages .........................     17.903     159.2     159.4      1.9      0.1     0.3     0.0     0.0 
   Food ......................................     16.861     158.8     159.1      1.9      0.2     0.4    -0.1     0.0 
    Food at home .............................     10.785     158.9     159.2      1.6      0.2     0.4    -0.1    -0.1 
     Cereals and bakery products .............      1.678     179.4     179.3      1.6     -0.1    -0.2     0.3     0.4 
     Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ..........      3.125     147.2     146.9     -0.3     -0.2    -0.3    -0.1    -0.3 
     Dairy and related products (1)...........      1.135     147.4     148.1      1.6      0.5     0.3    -0.3     0.5 
     Fruits and vegetables ...................      1.447     192.4     194.8      3.5      1.2     3.6    -1.1    -0.9 
     Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage                                                                                
         materials ...........................      1.215     133.6     133.1      3.3     -0.4    -0.2     0.1    -0.3 
     Other food at home ......................      2.185     148.5     148.9      2.6      0.3     0.1     0.1     0.3 
      Sugar and sweets .......................       .420     149.5     151.0      3.3      1.0     0.5    -0.5     1.0 
      Fats and oils ..........................       .332     141.4     141.9     -0.2      0.4    -0.9     0.6     0.4 
      Other foods ............................      1.432     164.1     164.3      2.6      0.1     0.3     0.1     0.1 
       Other miscellaneous foods (1) (2)......       .344     100.5     101.8        -      1.3     0.5     0.0     1.3 
    Food away from home (1)...................      6.076     159.6     159.9      2.5      0.2     0.2     0.2     0.2 
     Other food away from home (1) (2)........       .212     100.3     100.3        -      0.0     0.1     0.2     0.0 
   Alcoholic beverages .......................      1.042     163.9     164.0      1.5      0.1     0.2    -0.1    -0.1 
                                                                                                                        
  Housing ....................................     36.450     155.1     155.5      2.0      0.3     0.0     0.1     0.3 
   Shelter ...................................     27.033     174.6     175.2      3.1      0.3     0.3     0.2     0.2 
    Rent of primary residence ................      8.347     169.6     170.0      3.2      0.2     0.3     0.1     0.4 
    Lodging away from home (2)................      1.346     108.6     110.8        -      2.0     0.1     0.0     0.0 
    Owners' equivalent rent of primary                                                                                  
        residence (3).........................     17.016     169.1     169.5      3.2      0.2     0.2     0.4     0.2 
    Tenants' and household insurance (1) (2)..       .324     100.2     100.5        -      0.3     0.4    -0.2     0.3 
   Fuels and utilities .......................      5.053     127.1     126.9     -2.1     -0.2    -1.2    -0.9     0.3 
    Fuels ....................................      4.143     112.2     111.9     -3.9     -0.3    -1.6    -1.2     0.4 
     Fuel oil and other fuels ................       .229      95.1      94.5    -10.3     -0.6    -2.1    -2.2     0.8 
     Gas (piped) and electricity .............      3.914     119.2     118.9     -3.3     -0.3    -1.5    -1.2     0.3 
   Household furnishings and operations ......      4.365     124.7     125.0      0.9      0.2     0.2     0.4     0.1 
                                                                                                                        
  Apparel ....................................      5.300     130.4     133.0     -0.6      2.0    -0.5    -0.2    -0.5 
   Men's and boys' apparel ...................      1.503     130.1     132.8      3.1      2.1     0.2    -0.2     0.6 
   Women's and girls' apparel ................      1.985     122.3     127.3     -1.5      4.1    -0.9     0.3    -0.3 
   Infants' and toddlers' apparel (1).........       .337     123.1     124.5     -4.7      1.1    -0.9    -1.8     1.1 
   Footwear ..................................      1.082     127.4     127.1     -0.6     -0.2    -0.5    -1.5    -1.1 
                                                                                                                        
  Transportation .............................     19.847     140.9     139.9     -3.0     -0.7    -0.5    -0.4    -0.8 
   Private transportation ....................     18.790     138.4     137.2     -3.3     -0.9    -0.6    -0.6    -0.7 
    New and used motor vehicles (2)...........      9.285     100.2      99.7     -2.2     -0.5     0.1     0.0    -0.4 
     New vehicles ............................      5.304     145.5     145.6     -0.7      0.1     0.1    -0.1     0.2 
     Used cars and trucks (1).................      3.162     149.9     147.6     -5.2     -1.5     0.1     0.1    -1.5 
    Motor fuel ...............................      3.682      94.1      91.0    -14.4     -3.3    -3.6    -3.1    -3.2 
     Gasoline (all types) ....................      3.658      93.6      90.5    -14.4     -3.3    -3.6    -3.2    -3.4 
    Motor vehicle parts and equipment ........       .694     100.9     100.7     -0.6     -0.2    -0.1     0.1    -0.1 
    Motor vehicle maintenance and repair .....      1.664     166.5     166.7      2.6      0.1     0.1     0.3     0.1 
   Public transportation .....................      1.057     187.9     190.2      2.8      1.2     0.9     1.2     0.3 
                                                                                                                        
  Medical care ...............................      4.591     238.7     239.1      2.7      0.2     0.2     0.2     0.3 
   Medical care commodities ..................       .906     215.4     215.5      1.6      0.0     0.2     0.0     0.1 
   Medical care services .....................      3.684     244.0     244.5      3.0      0.2     0.1     0.3     0.3 
    Professional services ....................      2.372     221.0     221.8      3.0      0.4     0.2     0.4     0.2 
    Hospital and related services ............      1.097     281.4     281.4      3.1      0.0     0.0     0.5     0.2 
                                                                                                                        
  Recreation (2)..............................      5.969     100.7     101.0      1.6      0.3     0.3     0.3     0.3 
   Video and audio (1) (2)....................      1.968     101.2     101.4      2.4      0.2     0.5     0.7     0.2 
                                                                                                                        
  Education and communication (2).............      5.396      99.8     100.0      2.5      0.2    -0.1     0.0     0.4 
   Education (2)..............................      2.402     100.4     100.5      5.2      0.1     0.3     0.4     0.5 
    Educational books and supplies ...........       .192     249.4     250.0      5.4      0.2    -0.3     0.9     0.5 
    Tuition, other school fees, and childcare       2.211     283.5     283.9      5.3      0.1     0.3     0.4     0.5 
   Communication (1) (2)......................      2.994      99.3      99.5     -1.0      0.2    -0.3    -0.4     0.2 
    Information and information processing (1)                                                                          
        (2)...................................      2.841      99.3      99.5     -1.0      0.2    -0.4    -0.3     0.2 
     Telephone services (1) (2)...............      2.547     100.0     100.4        -      0.4    -0.1     0.1     0.4 
     Information and information processing                                                                             
         other than telephone services (1) (4)       .294      45.8      44.8    -15.6     -2.2    -2.5    -4.0    -2.2 
      Personal computers and peripheral                                                                                 
          equipment (1) (2)...................       .191      91.1      88.3        -     -3.1    -3.4    -5.7    -3.1 
                                                                                                                        
  Other goods and services ...................      4.544     230.6     229.3      5.2     -0.6     0.5     1.1    -0.6 
   Tobacco and smoking products ..............      1.300     261.1     253.7      6.7     -2.8     0.8     3.0    -2.8 
   Personal care (1)..........................      3.244     155.0     155.5      2.6      0.3     0.4     0.3     0.3 
    Personal care products (1)................       .832     147.6     148.2      2.7      0.4     0.6     0.4     0.4 
    Personal care services (1)................       .964     164.5     164.9      2.3      0.2     0.2     0.0     0.2 
    Miscellaneous personal services ..........      1.226     231.1     231.7      3.8      0.3     0.2     0.0     0.3 
                                                                                                                        
          Commodity and service group                                                                                   
                                                                                                                        
 Commodities .................................     47.234     141.3     141.1     -0.6     -0.1    -0.1    -0.1    -0.5 
  Food and beverages .........................     17.903     159.2     159.4      1.9      0.1     0.3     0.0     0.0 
  Commodities less food and beverages ........     29.331     130.5     130.1     -2.3     -0.3    -0.4    -0.2    -0.7 
   Nondurables less food and beverages .......     15.928     131.5     131.2     -2.7     -0.2    -1.0    -0.2    -1.1 
    Apparel ..................................      5.300     130.4     133.0     -0.6      2.0    -0.5    -0.2    -0.5 
    Nondurables less food, beverages, and                                                                               
        apparel ..............................     10.628     136.7     134.8     -3.6     -1.4    -1.4    -0.4    -1.2 
   Durables ..................................     13.403     127.7     127.3     -1.8     -0.3     0.2    -0.1    -0.3 
 Services ....................................     52.766     179.1     179.6      2.5      0.3     0.1     0.2     0.3 
  Rent of shelter (3).........................     26.708     168.1     168.6      3.1      0.3     0.2     0.2     0.2 
  Transportation services ....................      6.824     185.3     185.8      1.9      0.3     0.5     0.3     0.2 
  Other services .............................     10.006     211.2     211.9      3.8      0.3     0.2     0.2     0.4 
                                                                                                                        
                Special indexes                                                                                         
                                                                                                                        
 All items less food .........................     83.139     158.4     158.5      0.9      0.1    -0.1     0.0    -0.1 
 All items less shelter ......................     72.967     154.1     154.2      0.3      0.1    -0.1    -0.1    -0.2 
 All items less medical care .................     95.409     154.8     154.9      0.9      0.1    -0.1     0.1    -0.1 
 Commodities less food .......................     30.373     131.8     131.5     -2.0     -0.2    -0.5    -0.2    -0.7 
 Nondurables less food .......................     16.970     133.5     133.2     -2.3     -0.2    -1.0    -0.3    -0.9 
 Nondurables less food and apparel ...........     11.670     138.3     136.6     -3.2     -1.2    -1.5    -0.4    -1.4 
 Nondurables .................................     33.831     145.6     145.6     -0.3      0.0    -0.1    -0.4    -0.3 
 Services less rent of shelter (3)............     26.057     169.2     169.6      2.0      0.2    -0.1    -0.1     0.4 
 Services less medical care services .........     49.082     173.6     174.1      2.5      0.3     0.1     0.0     0.4 
 Energy ......................................      7.825     102.4     100.8     -8.9     -1.6    -2.5    -2.1    -1.3 
 All items less energy .......................     92.175     166.3     166.7      2.0      0.2     0.2     0.2     0.1 
  All items less food and energy .............     75.315     168.2     168.6      1.9      0.2     0.2     0.2     0.1 
   Commodities less food and energy                                                                                     
       commodities ...........................     26.463     142.1     142.3     -0.1      0.1     0.1     0.2    -0.3 
    Energy commodities .......................      3.910      94.3      91.4    -14.2     -3.1    -3.5    -3.0    -3.0 
   Services less energy services .............     48.852     185.8     186.4      3.0      0.3     0.3     0.3     0.3 
 Purchasing power of the consumer dollar .....          -    $ .631    $ .630        -        -       -       -       - 
 Purchasing power of the consumer dollar - old                                                                          
     base ....................................          -    $ .212    $ .212        -        -       -       -       - 

   1    Not seasonally adjusted.
   2    Indexes on a December 1997=100 base.
   3    Indexes on a December 1984=100 base
   4    Indexes on a December 1988=100 base.
   -    Data not available.
 NOTE:  Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.

 Table 5. Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W): Seasonally adjusted U.S. city
 average, by expenditure category and commodity and service group

 (1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)
                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                        
                                                 Seasonally adjusted indexes    Seasonally adjusted annual rate percent 
                                                                                               change for               
                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                        
                     CPI-W                                                           3 months ended--         6 months  
                                                                                                              ended--   
                                                 Dec.    Jan.    Feb.    Mar.                                           
                                                 1997    1998    1998    1998                                           
                                                                                June   Sep.   Dec.   Mar.   Sep.   Mar. 
                                                                                1997   1997   1997   1998   1997   1998 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                        
             Expenditure category                                                                                       
                                                                                                                        
 All items ...................................  158.7   158.7   158.7   158.6    1.0    2.3    1.3   -0.3    1.7    0.5 
                                                                                                                        
  Food and beverages .........................  158.7   159.2   159.2   159.2    2.1    2.6    1.5    1.3    2.3    1.4 
   Food ......................................  158.2   158.8   158.7   158.7    2.1    2.8    1.3    1.3    2.5    1.3 
    Food at home .............................  158.3   158.9   158.7   158.6    2.3    2.3    0.8    0.8    2.3    0.8 
     Cereals and bakery products .............  178.9   178.6   179.1   179.8    1.1    1.1    2.3    2.0    1.1    2.1 
     Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ..........  147.4   147.0   146.8   146.3    4.4    0.3   -2.9   -3.0    2.3   -2.9 
     Dairy and related products (1)...........  147.5   147.9   147.4   148.1   -5.4   -1.7   12.6    1.6   -3.5    7.0 
     Fruits and vegetables ...................  189.7   196.5   194.4   192.6   -1.5    8.9    0.4    6.3    3.6    3.3 
     Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage                                                                                
         materials ...........................  132.9   132.7   132.8   132.4   17.9    4.3   -6.4   -1.5   10.9   -4.0 
     Other food at home ......................  147.9   148.1   148.2   148.7    7.4    3.0   -0.8    2.2    5.2    0.7 
      Sugar and sweets .......................  149.2   149.9   149.2   150.7    5.3    1.1    2.4    4.1    3.2    3.3 
      Fats and oils ..........................  141.3   140.0   140.8   141.4   -0.8    1.4   -1.7    0.3    0.3   -0.7 
      Other foods ............................  163.1   163.6   163.8   163.9    2.5    3.0    2.7    2.0    2.8    2.4 
       Other miscellaneous foods (1) (2)......  100.0   100.5   100.5   101.8      -      -      -    7.4      -      - 
    Food away from home (1)...................  159.0   159.3   159.6   159.9    1.5    3.1    3.1    2.3    2.3    2.7 
     Other food away from home (1) (2)........  100.0   100.1   100.3   100.3      -      -      -    1.2      -      - 
   Alcoholic beverages .......................  163.6   164.0   163.8   163.6    2.0    2.2    2.0    0.0    2.1    1.0 
                                                                                                                        
  Housing ....................................  154.8   154.8   155.0   155.4    2.1    2.1    2.4    1.6    2.1    2.0 
   Shelter ...................................  173.5   174.0   174.4   174.8    3.1    3.1    3.3    3.0    3.1    3.2 
    Rent of primary residence ................  168.7   169.2   169.4   170.0    3.4    3.2    3.1    3.1    3.3    3.1 
    Lodging away from home (2)................  100.0   100.1   100.1   100.1      -      -      -    0.4      -      - 
    Owners' equivalent rent of primary                                                                                  
        residence (3).........................  168.1   168.5   169.1   169.5    3.0    3.2    2.9    3.4    3.1    3.1 
    Tenants' and household insurance (1) (2)..  100.0   100.4   100.2   100.5      -      -      -    2.0      -      - 
   Fuels and utilities .......................  130.4   128.8   127.6   128.0   -1.2    0.9    0.3   -7.2   -0.2   -3.5 
    Fuels ....................................  115.3   113.5   112.1   112.5   -4.7    0.0   -1.7   -9.4   -2.4   -5.6 
     Fuel oil and other fuels ................   95.9    93.9    91.8    92.5  -15.3  -11.6    0.4  -13.4  -13.5   -6.8 
     Gas (piped) and electricity .............  123.0   121.1   119.7   120.0   -3.8    1.3   -1.9   -9.4   -1.3   -5.7 
   Household furnishings and operations ......  123.9   124.2   124.7   124.8    1.6   -1.3    0.6    2.9    0.2    1.8 
                                                                                                                        
  Apparel ....................................  132.0   131.3   131.1   130.5    2.5   -0.9    0.0   -4.5    0.8   -2.3 
   Men's and boys' apparel ...................  131.2   131.4   131.1   131.9    4.8    4.1    1.5    2.2    4.4    1.8 
   Women's and girls' apparel ................  124.1   123.0   123.4   123.0    2.3   -3.4   -2.8   -3.5   -0.6   -3.2 
   Infants' and toddlers' apparel (1).........  126.5   125.3   123.1   124.5    9.8  -15.5   -5.5   -6.2   -3.6   -5.8 
   Footwear ..................................  130.5   129.9   128.0   126.6    0.0    3.5    6.4  -11.4    1.7   -2.9 
                                                                                                                        
  Transportation .............................  142.6   141.9   141.3   140.2   -4.6    3.1   -3.6   -6.6   -0.8   -5.1 
   Private transportation ....................  140.3   139.5   138.7   137.7   -5.0    3.2   -3.9   -7.2   -1.0   -5.6 
    New and used motor vehicles (2)...........  100.0   100.1   100.1    99.7      -      -      -   -1.2      -      - 
     New vehicles ............................  144.6   144.7   144.6   144.9   -0.8   -0.5   -2.2    0.8   -0.7   -0.7 
     Used cars and trucks (1).................  149.5   149.7   149.9   147.6   -6.0   -9.1   -0.5   -5.0   -7.6   -2.8 
    Motor fuel ...............................  103.2    99.5    96.4    93.3  -20.0   19.1  -15.4  -33.2   -2.4  -24.8 
     Gasoline (all types) ....................  102.9    99.2    96.0    92.7  -20.1   21.5  -16.0  -34.1   -1.5  -25.6 
    Motor vehicle parts and equipment ........  100.6   100.5   100.6   100.5    0.0   -0.8   -1.2   -0.4   -0.4   -0.8 
    Motor vehicle maintenance and repair .....  165.8   166.0   166.5   166.7    3.2    1.5    3.5    2.2    2.4    2.8 
   Public transportation .....................  184.1   185.8   188.1   188.7    0.7    0.9   -0.6   10.4    0.8    4.7 
                                                                                                                        
  Medical care ...............................  237.2   237.6   238.1   238.8    2.8    2.1    3.4    2.7    2.4    3.1 
   Medical care commodities ..................  214.6   215.0   214.9   215.1    2.7    0.2    2.8    0.9    1.4    1.9 
   Medical care services .....................  242.2   242.5   243.2   244.0    2.9    2.4    3.7    3.0    2.6    3.4 
    Professional services ....................  219.6   220.0   220.8   221.3    3.0    2.6    3.0    3.1    2.8    3.1 
    Hospital and related services ............  278.9   278.8   280.3   280.8    2.7    2.5    4.3    2.8    2.6    3.5 
                                                                                                                        
  Recreation (2)..............................  100.0   100.3   100.6   100.9      -      -      -    3.6      -      - 
   Video and audio (1) (2)....................  100.0   100.5   101.2   101.4    2.0    1.6    0.4    5.7    1.8    3.0 
                                                                                                                        
  Education and communication (2).............  100.0    99.9    99.9   100.3      -      -      -    1.2      -      - 
   Education (2)..............................  100.0   100.3   100.7   101.2      -      -      -    4.9      -      - 
    Educational books and supplies ...........  246.1   245.3   247.4   248.7    8.8    4.2    4.5    4.3    6.5    4.4 
    Tuition, other school fees, and childcare   281.2   282.1   283.2   284.7    5.7    4.9    5.6    5.1    5.3    5.3 
   Communication (1) (2)......................  100.0    99.7    99.3    99.5    0.8   -3.5    0.8   -2.0   -1.4   -0.6 
    Information and information processing (1)                                                                          
        (2)...................................  100.0    99.6    99.3    99.5    0.8   -3.5    0.8   -2.0   -1.4   -0.6 
     Telephone services (1) (2)...............  100.0    99.9   100.0   100.4      -      -      -    1.6      -      - 
     Information and information processing                                                                             
         other than telephone services (1) (4)   48.9    47.7    45.8    44.8  -15.6  -10.6   -4.8  -29.6  -13.1  -18.1 
      Personal computers and peripheral                                                                                 
          equipment (1) (2)...................  100.0    96.6    91.1    88.3      -      -      -  -39.2      -      - 
                                                                                                                        
  Other goods and services ...................  227.4   228.5   230.9   229.6    4.8    5.2    6.2    3.9    5.0    5.1 
   Tobacco and smoking products ..............  251.6   253.6   261.1   253.9    5.0    8.7    9.4    3.7    6.8    6.5 
   Personal care (1)..........................  153.9   154.5   155.0   155.5    2.9   -0.3    3.5    4.2    1.3    3.8 
    Personal care products (1)................  146.1   147.0   147.6   148.2    2.0   -0.8    3.9    5.9    0.6    4.9 
    Personal care services (1)................  164.1   164.5   164.5   164.9    3.8    0.7    2.7    2.0    2.2    2.3 
    Miscellaneous personal services ..........  230.0   230.5   230.6   231.3    4.0    4.5    4.5    2.3    4.3    3.4 
                                                                                                                        
          Commodity and service group                                                                                   
                                                                                                                        
 Commodities .................................  142.0   141.8   141.6   140.9   -1.1    2.0   -0.3   -3.1    0.4   -1.7 
  Food and beverages .........................  158.7   159.2   159.2   159.2    2.1    2.6    1.5    1.3    2.3    1.4 
  Commodities less food and beverages ........  131.7   131.2   130.9   130.0   -3.0    1.8   -2.1   -5.1   -0.6   -3.6 
   Nondurables less food and beverages .......  134.2   132.9   132.6   131.1   -3.2    4.3   -2.3   -8.9    0.4   -5.7 
    Apparel ..................................  132.0   131.3   131.1   130.5    2.5   -0.9    0.0   -4.5    0.8   -2.3 
    Nondurables less food, beverages, and                                                                               
        apparel ..............................  140.1   138.1   137.5   135.8   -5.3    7.1   -3.6  -11.7    0.7   -7.8 
   Durables ..................................  127.3   127.5   127.4   127.0   -2.8   -2.5   -1.2   -0.9   -2.6   -1.1 
 Services ....................................  178.6   178.8   179.1   179.6    2.8    2.5    2.7    2.3    2.6    2.5 
  Rent of shelter (3).........................  167.2   167.6   167.9   168.3    3.5    2.9    3.4    2.7    3.2    3.0 
  Transportation services ....................  183.8   184.7   185.2   185.5    2.0    1.8    0.9    3.8    1.9    2.3 
  Other services .............................  210.2   210.7   211.2   212.0    4.8    2.5    3.5    3.5    3.6    3.5 
                                                                                                                        
                Special indexes                                                                                         
                                                                                                                        
 All items less food .........................  158.4   158.3   158.3   158.2    0.8    2.3    1.0   -0.5    1.5    0.3 
 All items less shelter ......................  154.6   154.5   154.4   154.1    0.3    2.1    0.3   -1.3    1.2   -0.5 
 All items less medical care .................  154.9   154.8   154.9   154.7    1.0    2.4    1.0   -0.5    1.7    0.3 
 Commodities less food .......................  133.3   132.7   132.4   131.5   -2.7    1.5   -1.5   -5.3   -0.6   -3.4 
 Nondurables less food .......................  136.0   134.7   134.3   133.1   -2.3    3.6   -1.7   -8.3    0.6   -5.1 
 Nondurables less food and apparel ...........  141.8   139.7   139.2   137.3   -5.3    7.3   -1.7  -12.1    0.8   -7.0 
 Nondurables .................................  146.7   146.5   145.9   145.5   -0.8    3.6   -0.5   -3.2    1.4   -1.9 
 Services less rent of shelter (3)............  169.3   169.1   169.0   169.7    2.4    2.2    2.4    0.9    2.3    1.7 
 Services less medical care services .........  173.2   173.4   173.4   174.1    2.9    2.6    2.6    2.1    2.7    2.3 
 Energy ......................................  108.7   106.0   103.8   102.4  -12.8    9.1   -8.7  -21.2   -2.5  -15.2 
 All items less energy .......................  165.7   166.0   166.3   166.4    2.2    1.7    2.2    1.7    2.0    2.0 
  All items less food and energy .............  167.7   168.0   168.4   168.5    2.4    1.5    2.2    1.9    1.9    2.0 
   Commodities less food and energy                                                                                     
       commodities ...........................  142.0   142.1   142.4   142.0    0.3   -0.6    0.6    0.0   -0.1    0.3 
    Energy commodities .......................  102.8    99.2    96.2    93.3  -19.4   16.0  -14.2  -32.1   -3.3  -23.7 
   Services less energy services .............  184.9   185.4   185.9   186.4    3.4    2.7    2.9    3.3    3.0    3.1 

   1    Not seasonally adjusted.
   2    Indexes on a December 1997=100 base.
   3    Indexes on a December 1984=100 base
   4    Indexes on a December 1988=100 base.
   -    Data not available.
 NOTE:  Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.

 Table 6. Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W): Selected areas, all items index 

 (1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)
                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                           
                                                                                All items                                  
                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                           
                                               Prici-           Indexes             Percent change to    Percent change to 
                     CPI-W                       ng                                  Mar.1998 from--      Feb.1998 from--  
                                               sched-                                                                      
                                                 ule   Dec.   Jan.   Feb.   Mar.                                           
                                                 (1)   1997   1998   1998   1998   Mar.   Jan.   Feb.   Feb.   Dec.   Jan. 
                                                                                   1997   1998   1998   1997   1997   1998 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                           
 U.S. city average ...........................   M    158.2  158.4  158.5  158.7    1.1    0.2    0.1    1.1    0.2    0.1 
                                                                                                                           
            Region and area size(2)                                                                                        
                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                           
 Northeast urban .............................   M    165.5  165.7  165.9  166.0    0.9    0.2    0.1    1.0    0.2    0.1 
   Size A -  More than 1,500,000 .............   M    165.2  165.4  165.8  165.8    1.0    0.2    0.0    1.2    0.4    0.2 
   Size B/C  50,000 to 1,500,000 (3)..........   M    101.1  101.3  101.1  101.3    0.9    0.0    0.2    1.0    0.0   -0.2 
                                                                                                                           
 Midwest urban (4)............................   M    153.7  153.9  154.2  154.4    1.3    0.3    0.1    1.2    0.3    0.2 
   Size A   - More than 1,500,000 ............   M    153.6  153.9  154.2  154.7    1.6    0.5    0.3    1.2    0.4    0.2 
   Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 (3).........   M    101.0  101.1  101.4  101.3    1.3    0.2   -0.1    1.3    0.4    0.3 
   Size D -  Nonmetropolitan  (less than                                                                                   
       50,000) ...............................   M    151.0  150.9  150.8  150.7    0.4   -0.1   -0.1    0.3   -0.1   -0.1 
                                                                                                                           
 South urban .................................   M    155.6  155.8  155.7  156.0    0.8    0.1    0.2    0.8    0.1   -0.1 
   Size A -  More than 1,500,000 .............   M    154.2  154.4  154.3  154.7    0.8    0.2    0.3    0.7    0.1   -0.1 
   Size B/C -  50,000 to 1,500,000 (3)........   M    101.1  101.2  101.1  101.3    0.6    0.1    0.2    0.6    0.0   -0.1 
   Size D -  Nonmetropolitan  (less than                                                                                   
       50,000) ...............................   M    157.5  157.6  158.0  158.2    1.3    0.4    0.1    1.4    0.3    0.3 
                                                                                                                           
 West urban ..................................   M    159.2  159.4  159.4  159.4    1.3    0.0    0.0    1.7    0.1    0.0 
   Size A   - More than 1,500,000 ............   M    157.9  158.0  158.0  158.1    1.4    0.1    0.1    1.8    0.1    0.0 
   Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 (3).........   M    101.9  102.2  102.2  102.1    0.8   -0.1   -0.1    1.3    0.3    0.0 
                                                                                                                           
                 Size classes                                                                                              
                                                                                                                           
   A (5)......................................   M    144.4  144.6  144.8  145.0    1.3    0.3    0.1    1.3    0.3    0.1 
   B/C (3)....................................   M    101.2  101.3  101.3  101.4    0.8    0.1    0.1    0.9    0.1    0.0 
   D .........................................   M    156.7  156.7  156.8  156.8    0.9    0.1    0.0    0.9    0.1    0.1 
                                                                                                                           
            Selected local areas(6)                                                                                        
                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                           
 Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI ..............   M    157.3  157.3  157.4  158.3    1.7    0.6    0.6    1.0    0.1    0.1 
 Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA .....   M    155.3  155.1  155.0  155.1    0.6    0.0    0.1    0.9   -0.2   -0.1 
 New York-Northern N.J.-Long Island,                                                                                       
     NY-NJ-CT-PA .............................   M    167.7  167.7  168.2  168.2    1.0    0.3    0.0    1.2    0.3    0.3 
                                                                                                                           
 Boston-Brockton-Nashua, MA-NH-ME-CT .........   1        -  169.3      -  169.3    1.5    0.0      -      -      -      - 
 Cleveland-Akron, OH .........................   1        -  150.0      -  150.1    1.8    0.1      -      -      -      - 
 Dallas-Fort Worth, TX .......................   1    152.7  152.2      -  152.8      -    0.4      -      -      -      - 
 Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV (7)........   1        -  100.8      -  101.3    0.5    0.5      -      -      -      - 
                                                                                                                           
 Atlanta, GA .................................   2    156.8      -  156.6      -      -      -      -      -   -0.1      - 
 Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, MI .................   2    151.7      -  152.9      -      -      -      -    1.7    0.8      - 
 Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX ..............   2    144.5      -  144.7      -      -      -      -    0.8    0.1      - 
 Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL ...................   2    156.8      -  157.3      -      -      -      -      -    0.3      - 
 Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City,                                                                                    
     PA-NJ-DE-MD .............................   2    165.7      -  166.1      -      -      -      -    0.7    0.2      - 
 San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA ..........   2    159.4      -  159.6      -      -      -      -    3.0    0.1      - 
 Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA ................   2    160.6      -  162.2      -      -      -      -      -    1.0      - 

   1    Areas on pricing schedule 2 (see Table 10) will appear next month. 
   2    Regions defined as the four Census regions.  See map in technical notes.
   3    Indexes on a December 1996=100 base.
   4    The 'North Central' region has been renamed the 'Midwest' region by the Census Bureau.  It is composed of the same
 geographic entities.
   5    Indexes on a December 1986=100 base.
   6    In addition, the following metropolitan areas are published semiannually and appear in Tables 34 and 39 of the 
 January and July issues of the CPI Detailed Report: Anchorage, AK; Cincinnati-Hamilton, OH-KY-IN; Denver-Boulder-Greeley,
 CO; Honolulu, HI; Kansas City, MO-KS; Milwaukee-Racine, WI; Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI; Pittsburgh, PA; Portland-Salem,
 OR-WA; St. Louis, MO-IL; San Diego, CA; Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL.
   7    Indexes on a November 1996=100 base.
   -    Data not available.
 NOTE:  Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.

 Table 1(OS).  Old Series Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S.
 city average, by expenditure category and commodity and service group

 (1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)
                                                                                        
                                                                                        
                                                                            Unadjusted  
                                                Relative    Unadjusted    percent change
                                               importan-     indexes            to      
                Item and group                    ce,                    Mar. 1998 from-
                                                December                                
                                                  1997     Feb.    Mar.                 
                                                           1998    1998    Mar.    Feb. 
                                                                           1997    1998 
                                                                                                                                                                                
                                                                                        
             Expenditure category                                                       
                                                                                        
                                                                                        
 All items ...................................  100.000   162.0   162.2     1.4     0.1 
 All items (1967=100) ........................        -   485.2   486.0       -       - 
                                                                                        
   Food and beverages ........................   17.465   159.8   160.0     1.8      .1 
     Food ....................................   15.886   159.3   159.6     1.9      .2 
       Food at home ..........................    9.964   159.9   160.1     1.5      .1 
         Cereals and bakery products .........    1.476   179.5   179.5     1.6      .0 
         Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ......    2.921   147.2   147.0     -.5     -.1 
         Dairy products ......................    1.218   147.9   148.8     1.8      .6 
         Fruits and vegetables ...............    1.982   193.8   194.9     3.0      .6 
         Other food at home ..................    2.366   149.5   149.7     2.9      .1 
           Sugar and sweets ..................     .332   149.5   150.6     2.9      .7 
           Fats and oils .....................     .241   141.8   142.2     -.1      .3 
           Nonalcoholic beverages ............     .747   135.1   134.9     4.2     -.1 
           Other prepared food ...............    1.046   164.4   164.5     2.6      .1 
       Food away from home ...................    5.923   159.6   159.8     2.4      .1 
     Alcoholic beverages .....................    1.578   164.9   164.8     1.7     -.1 
                                                                                        
   Housing ...................................   41.469   158.8   159.2     2.1      .3 
     Shelter .................................   28.640   180.1   180.7     3.1      .3 
       Renters' costs (1).....................    8.169   191.5   192.7     3.2      .6 
         Rent, residential ...................    5.810   169.9   170.3     3.1      .2 
         Other renters' costs ................    2.359   235.2   239.1     3.2     1.7 
       Homeowners' costs (1)..................   20.269   185.1   185.5     3.2      .2 
         Owners' equivalent rent (1)..........   19.881   185.4   185.8     3.2      .2 
         Household insurance (1)..............     .388   167.3   167.5     2.6      .1 
       Maintenance and repairs ...............     .202   146.0   146.3     2.7      .2 
         Maintenance and repair services .....     .126   154.7   154.5     4.1     -.1 
         Maintenance and repair commodities ..     .076   134.0   135.0      .5      .7 
     Fuel and other utilities ................    7.015   128.5   128.6    -1.0      .1 
       Fuels .................................    3.769   112.7   112.4    -4.1     -.3 
         Fuel oil and other household fuel                                              
     commodities .............................     .368    95.3    94.6   -10.3     -.7 
         Gas (piped) and electricity (energy                                            
     services)................................    3.401   119.5   119.3    -3.3     -.2 
       Other utilities and public services ...    3.246   164.1   164.8     2.7      .4 
     Household furnishings and operation .....    5.814   125.9   126.1      .6      .2 
       Housefurnishings ......................    3.232   110.1   110.3     -.7      .2 
       Housekeeping supplies .................    1.090   145.3   145.6     2.0      .2 
       Housekeeping services .................    1.492   154.3   154.3     2.5      .0 
                                                                                        
   Apparel and upkeep ........................    5.291   131.6   134.6      .1     2.3 
     Apparel commodities .....................    4.748   127.6   130.8     -.2     2.5 
       Men's and boys' apparel ...............    1.292   130.7   133.2     3.1     1.9 
       Women's and girls' apparel.............    2.072   123.0   128.5    -1.2     4.5 
       Infants' and toddlers' apparel ........     .182   122.8   124.2    -4.2     1.1 
       Footwear ..............................     .719   126.9   127.2      .2      .2 
       Other apparel commodities .............     .484   146.4   145.9    -2.4     -.3 
     Apparel services ........................     .543   164.8   165.3     1.8      .3 
                                                                                        
   Transportation ............................   16.620   142.1   141.3    -2.5     -.6 
     Private transportation ..................   15.054   138.3   137.3    -3.0     -.7 
       New vehicles ..........................    4.829   144.3   144.4     -.7      .1 
         New cars ............................    3.842   141.6   141.7     -.8      .1 
       Used cars .............................    1.195   148.3   146.0    -5.4    -1.6 
       Motor fuel ............................    2.925    94.1    90.8   -14.7    -3.5 
         Gasoline ............................        -    93.5    90.3   -14.7    -3.4 
       Maintenance and repairs ...............    1.546   165.5   165.7     2.6      .1 
       Other private transportation ..........    4.560   179.6   179.5     1.2     -.1 
         Other private transportation                                                   
     commodities .............................     .574   104.3   104.0    -1.0     -.3 
         Other private transportation services                                          
     .........................................    3.986   197.4   197.4     1.5      .0 
     Public transportation ...................    1.566   191.1   193.8     3.0     1.4 
                                                                                        
   Medical care ..............................    7.426   239.4   239.9     2.8      .2 
     Medical care commodities ................    1.280   218.4   218.5     1.8      .0 
     Medical care services ...................    6.145   244.3   244.8     3.0      .2 
       Professional medical services .........    3.518   219.7   220.4     2.9      .3 
                                                                                        
   Entertainment .............................    4.339   164.0   164.6     1.5     0.4 
     Entertainment commodities ...............    1.924   144.6   144.5      .0     -.1 
     Entertainment services ..................    2.415   186.4   187.8     2.8      .8 
                                                                                        
   Other goods and services ..................    7.390   233.2   232.0     4.8     -.5 
     Tobacco and smoking products ............    1.688   261.3   254.1     6.7    -2.8 
     Personal care ...........................    1.152   155.0   155.6     2.5      .4 
       Toilet goods and personal care                                                   
     appliances ..............................     .589   147.0   147.6     2.8      .4 
       Personal care services ................     .564   164.1   164.6     2.1      .3 
     Personal and educational expenses .......    4.550   267.6   268.0     4.8      .1 
       School books and supplies .............     .273   247.1   247.8     5.3      .3 
       Personal and educational services .....    4.277   269.4   269.7     4.7      .1 
                                                                                        
          Commodity and service group                                                   
                                                                                        
                                                                                        
 All items ...................................  100.000   162.0   162.2     1.4      .1 
   Commodities ...............................   42.255   141.6   141.6     -.3      .0 
     Food and beverages ......................   17.465   159.8   160.0     1.8      .1 
     Commodities less food and beverages .....   24.791   130.7   130.5    -1.8     -.2 
       Nondurables less food and beverages ...   14.865   132.4   132.2    -2.1     -.2 
         Apparel commodities .................    4.748   127.6   130.8     -.2     2.5 
         Nondurables less food, beverages, and                                          
     apparel .................................   10.117   138.0   136.0    -3.0    -1.4 
       Durables ..............................    9.926   128.3   128.1    -1.4     -.2 
   Services ..................................   57.745   182.4   183.0     2.7      .3 
     Rent of shelter (1)......................   28.016   187.4   188.1     3.2      .4 
     Household services less rent of shelter                                            
     (1)......................................    8.687   144.6   144.7      .3      .1 
     Transportation services .................    7.097   188.1   188.8     2.1      .4 
     Medical care services ...................    6.145   244.3   244.8     3.0      .2 
     Other services ..........................    7.799   214.2   215.0     3.7      .4 
                                                                                        
                Special indexes                                                         
                                                                                        
                                                                                        
 All items less food .........................   84.114   162.4   162.7     1.3      .2 
 All items less shelter ......................   71.360   156.6   156.7      .7      .1 
 All items less homeowners' costs (1).........   79.731   162.4   162.7      .9      .2 
 All items less medical care .................   92.574   157.6   157.9     1.3      .2 
 Commodities less food .......................   26.369   132.1   132.0    -1.6     -.1 
 Nondurables less food .......................   16.443   134.5   134.3    -1.7     -.1 
 Nondurables less food and apparel ...........   11.695   139.8   138.1    -2.3    -1.2 
 Nondurables .................................   32.329   146.3   146.3      .1      .0 
 Services less rent of shelter (1)............   29.728   190.3   190.8     2.2      .3 
 Services less medical care services .........   51.599   176.7   177.2     2.6      .3 
 Energy ......................................    6.695   103.1   101.5    -8.7    -1.6 
 All items less energy .......................   93.305   169.6   170.1     2.2      .3 
   All items less food and energy ............   77.419   172.2   172.7     2.2      .3 
     Commodities less food and energy                                                   
     commodities .............................   23.076   143.0   143.4      .3      .3 
       Energy commodities ....................    3.293    94.5    91.5   -14.2    -3.2 
     Services less energy services ...........   54.343   188.8   189.4     3.0      .3 
 Purchasing power of the consumer dollar:                                               
     1982-84=$1.00 ...........................        -  $ .617  $ .616       -       - 
     1967=$1.00 ..............................        -  $ .206  $ .206       -       - 

   1 Indexes on a December 1982=100 base.
   -    Data not available.
 NOTE:  Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.

 Table 2(OS).  Old Series Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical
 Workers (CPI-W): U.S. city average, by expenditure category and commodity and service
 group

 (1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)
                                                                                        
                                                                                        
                                                                            Unadjusted  
                                                Relative    Unadjusted    percent change
                                               importan-     indexes            to      
                Item and group                    ce,                    Mar. 1998 from-
                                                December                                
                                                  1997     Feb.    Mar.                 
                                                           1998    1998    Mar.    Feb. 
                                                                           1997    1998 
                                                                                                                                                                                
                                                                                        
             Expenditure category                                                       
                                                                                        
                                                                                        
 All items ...................................  100.000   158.7   158.8     1.1     0.1 
 All items (1967=100) ........................        -   472.6   473.0       -       - 
                                                                                        
   Food and beverages ........................   19.434   159.1   159.3     1.8      .1 
     Food ....................................   17.739   158.7   158.9     1.8      .1 
       Food at home ..........................   11.309   158.7   159.0     1.5      .2 
         Cereals and bakery products .........    1.689   179.2   179.1     1.5     -.1 
         Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ......    3.441   146.9   146.7     -.5     -.1 
         Dairy products ......................    1.358   147.6   148.4     1.8      .5 
         Fruits and vegetables ...............    2.100   192.0   193.4     2.8      .7 
         Other food at home ..................    2.722   148.8   149.0     2.7      .1 
           Sugar and sweets ..................     .376   149.4   150.6     3.0      .8 
           Fats and oils .....................     .277   141.4   141.7     -.4      .2 
           Nonalcoholic beverages ............     .863   133.9   133.7     3.7     -.1 
           Other prepared food ...............    1.206   164.2   164.4     2.7      .1 
       Food away from home ...................    6.430   159.6   159.9     2.5      .2 
     Alcoholic beverages .....................    1.695   163.8   163.8     1.4      .0 
                                                                                        
   Housing ...................................   39.037   155.2   155.6     2.0      .3 
     Shelter .................................   26.305   174.7   175.2     3.1      .3 
       Renters' costs (1).....................    8.250   166.3   167.1     3.2      .5 
         Rent, residential ...................    6.686   169.6   169.9     3.2      .2 
         Other renters' costs ................    1.564   234.2   237.7     3.4     1.5 
       Homeowners' costs (1)..................   17.864   168.7   169.1     3.2      .2 
         Owners' equivalent rent (1)..........   17.538   169.0   169.4     3.1      .2 
         Household insurance (1)..............     .327   151.8   152.0     2.6      .1 
       Maintenance and repairs ...............     .191   143.8   144.1     2.3      .2 
         Maintenance and repair services .....     .107   155.8   155.5     3.5     -.2 
         Maintenance and repair commodities ..     .084   128.7   129.7      .8      .8 
     Fuel and other utilities ................    7.274   128.4   128.5     -.8      .1 
       Fuels .................................    3.875   112.1   111.8    -4.0     -.3 
         Fuel oil and other household fuel                                              
     commodities .............................     .338    95.2    94.5   -10.3     -.7 
         Gas (piped) and electricity (energy                                            
     services)................................    3.537   119.1   118.8    -3.3     -.3 
       Other utilities and public services ...    3.399   165.1   165.8     2.9      .4 
     Household furnishings and operation .....    5.458   124.5   124.5      .5      .0 
       Housefurnishings ......................    3.171   108.9   109.0     -.7      .1 
       Housekeeping supplies .................    1.130   146.1   146.4     2.0      .2 
       Housekeeping services .................    1.157   157.3   157.3     2.6      .0 
                                                                                        
   Apparel and upkeep ........................    5.311   130.1   132.8     -.7     2.1 
     Apparel commodities .....................    4.801   126.4   129.2    -1.0     2.2 
       Men's and boys' apparel ...............    1.298   130.4   132.7     3.0     1.8 
       Women's and girls' apparel.............    2.019   121.1   126.0    -2.5     4.0 
       Infants' and toddlers' apparel ........     .233   123.3   124.9    -4.4     1.3 
       Footwear ..............................     .800   127.3   127.7     -.2      .3 
       Other apparel commodities .............     .450   143.4   142.7    -4.5     -.5 
     Apparel services ........................     .510   163.9   164.4     1.8      .3 
                                                                                        
   Transportation ............................   18.597   140.9   139.9    -3.0     -.7 
     Private transportation ..................   17.389   138.2   137.1    -3.4     -.8 
       New vehicles ..........................    4.781   145.5   145.6     -.7      .1 
         New cars ............................    3.439   141.2   141.2     -.9      .0 
       Used cars .............................    2.179   149.9   147.6    -5.2    -1.5 
       Motor fuel ............................    3.608    94.0    90.9   -14.5    -3.3 
         Gasoline ............................        -    93.5    90.4   -14.5    -3.3 
       Maintenance and repairs ...............    1.634   166.5   166.7     2.6      .1 
       Other private transportation ..........    5.188   174.7   174.7     1.1      .0 
         Other private transportation                                                   
     commodities .............................     .727   103.6   103.3     -.8     -.3 
         Other private transportation services                                          
     .........................................    4.460   192.9   192.9     1.4      .0 
     Public transportation ...................    1.208   188.2   190.3     2.8     1.1 
                                                                                        
   Medical care ..............................    6.331   238.8   239.3     2.8      .2 
     Medical care commodities ................    1.054   215.6   215.8     1.7      .1 
     Medical care services ...................    5.276   244.0   244.5     3.0      .2 
       Professional medical services .........    3.020   221.1   221.9     3.0      .4 
                                                                                        
   Entertainment .............................    4.006   161.2   161.8     1.4     0.4 
     Entertainment commodities ...............    2.005   143.1   143.0     -.3     -.1 
     Entertainment services ..................    2.001   186.8   188.3     3.0      .8 
                                                                                        
   Other goods and services ..................    7.285   230.8   229.1     5.1     -.7 
     Tobacco and smoking products ............    2.237   261.3   254.0     6.9    -2.8 
     Personal care ...........................    1.116   155.0   155.6     2.6      .4 
       Toilet goods and personal care                                                   
     appliances ..............................     .612   147.8   148.4     2.8      .4 
       Personal care services ................     .504   164.4   164.9     2.3      .3 
     Personal and educational expenses .......    3.932   263.1   263.6     4.8      .2 
       School books and supplies .............     .241   249.4   250.0     5.4      .2 
       Personal and educational services .....    3.692   264.6   265.0     4.7      .2 
                                                                                        
          Commodity and service group                                                   
                                                                                        
                                                                                        
 All items ...................................  100.000   158.7   158.8     1.1      .1 
   Commodities ...............................   46.401   141.4   141.2     -.6     -.1 
     Food and beverages ......................   19.434   159.1   159.3     1.8      .1 
     Commodities less food and beverages .....   26.967   130.6   130.2    -2.2     -.3 
       Nondurables less food and beverages ...   15.915   131.9   131.3    -2.6     -.5 
         Apparel commodities .................    4.801   126.4   129.2    -1.0     2.2 
         Nondurables less food, beverages, and                                          
     apparel .................................   11.114   137.5   135.3    -3.3    -1.6 
       Durables ..............................   11.052   127.8   127.4    -1.7     -.3 
   Services ..................................   53.599   179.3   179.7     2.6      .2 
     Rent of shelter (1)......................   25.761   168.2   168.7     3.2      .3 
     Household services less rent of shelter                                            
     (1)......................................    8.554   132.8   132.9      .2      .1 
     Transportation services .................    7.302   185.4   185.9     2.0      .3 
     Medical care services ...................    5.276   244.0   244.5     3.0      .2 
     Other services ..........................    6.706   211.1   211.9     3.8      .4 
                                                                                        
                Special indexes                                                         
                                                                                        
                                                                                        
 All items less food .........................   82.261   158.5   158.6     1.0      .1 
 All items less shelter ......................   73.695   154.3   154.3      .4      .0 
 All items less homeowners' costs (1).........   82.136   148.4   148.5      .7      .1 
 All items less medical care .................   93.669   154.9   155.0     1.0      .1 
 Commodities less food .......................   28.662   132.0   131.5    -2.0     -.4 
 Nondurables less food .......................   17.610   133.9   133.3    -2.3     -.4 
 Nondurables less food and apparel ...........   12.809   139.2   137.3    -2.7    -1.4 
 Nondurables .................................   35.349   145.8   145.7     -.2     -.1 
 Services less rent of shelter (1)............   27.838   169.4   169.8     2.1      .2 
 Services less medical care services .........   48.322   173.7   174.2     2.5     0.3 
 Energy ......................................    7.483   102.3   100.6    -9.1    -1.7 
 All items less energy .......................   92.517   166.4   166.7     2.0      .2 
   All items less food and energy ............   74.778   168.4   168.8     2.0      .2 
     Commodities less food and energy                                                   
     commodities .............................   24.717   142.4   142.5      .0      .1 
       Energy commodities ....................    3.946    94.4    91.5   -14.1    -3.1 
     Services less energy services ...........   50.062   185.9   186.4     3.0      .3 
 Purchasing power of the consumer dollar:                                               
     1982-84=$1.00 ...........................        -  $ .630  $ .630       -       - 
     1967=$1.00 ..............................        -  $ .212  $ .211       -       - 

   1 Indexes on a December 1984=100 base.
   -    Data not available.
 NOTE:  Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.

 Table 3(OS) Old Series Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): Selected areas, all
 items index

 (1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)
                                                                                                      
                                                                                                      
                                               Prici-           Indexes             Percent change to 
                                                 ng                                  Mar.1998 from--  
                     Area                      sched-                                                 
                                                 ule                                                  
                                                 (1)   Dec.   Jan.   Feb.   Mar.   Dec.   Jan.   Feb. 
                                                       1997   1998   1998   1998   1997   1998   1998 
                                                                                                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                      
 U.S. city average ...........................   M    161.3  161.6  162.0  162.2    0.6    0.4    0.1 
                                                                                                      
             Selected local areas                                                                     
                                                                                                      
 Chicago-Gary-Lake County, IL-IN-WI ..........   M    162.8  162.5  163.0  163.8     .6     .8     .5 
 Los Angeles-Anaheim-Riverside, CA ...........   M    161.2  161.0  161.2  161.3     .1     .2     .1 
 New York-Northern N.J.-Long Island, NY-NJ-CT    M    171.9  172.1  172.8  173.1     .7     .6     .2 
                                                                                                      
 Boston-Lawrence-Salem, MA-NH.................   1        -  171.0      -  171.2      -     .1      - 
 Cleveland-Akron-Lorain, OH ..................   1        -  158.0      -  157.9      -    -.1      - 
 Dallas-Fort Worth, TX .......................   1    152.5  152.2      -  153.3     .5     .7      - 
                                                                                                      
 Detroit-Ann Arbor, MI .......................   2    157.1      -  158.7      -      -      -      - 
 Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX ..............   2    145.6      -  146.5      -      -      -      - 
 Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL ...................   2    159.3      -  160.6      -      -      -      - 
 Philadelphia-Wilmington-Trenton, PA-NJ-DE-MD    2    166.4      -  167.4      -      -      -      - 
 San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA ..........   2    162.6      -  163.5      -      -      -      - 
                                                                                                      
             Region and area size                                                                     
                                                                                                      
 Northeast urban .............................   M    168.4  168.8  169.2  169.3     .5     .3     .1 
 Midwest urban (2)............................   M    157.3  157.6  158.1  158.4     .7     .5     .2 
 South urban .................................   M    157.3  157.7  157.9  158.5     .8     .5     .4 
 West urban ..................................   M    162.8  163.0  163.3  163.3     .3     .2     .0 
                                                                                                      
            Population size classes                                                                   
                                                                                                      
 A (3)........................................   M    145.7  146.0  146.4  146.6     .6     .4     .1 
 D ...........................................   M    157.5  157.9  158.0  158.2     .4     .2     .1 
                                                                                                      
 Region/Population size class cross                                                                   
     classifications                                                                                  
                                                                                                      
 Northeast Size A -  More than 1,500,000 .....   M    169.1  169.5  170.1  170.2     .7     .4     .1 
 Midwest Size A   - More than 1,500,000 ......   M    158.1  158.3  158.8  159.3     .8     .6     .3 
 South Size A -  More than 1,500,000 .........   M    156.3  156.7  156.8  157.6     .8     .6     .5 
 West Size A   - More than 1,500,000 .........   M    163.1  163.2  163.6  163.7     .4     .3     .1 
 Midwest Size D -  Nonmetropolitan  (less than                                                        
     50,000) .................................   M    153.0  153.0  153.1  153.3     .2     .2     .1 
 South Size D -  Nonmetropolitan  (less than                                                          
     50,000) .................................   M    157.0  157.7  158.0  158.4     .9     .4     .3 

   1    The 'All items' index size B/C is on a December 1996=100 base.
   2    The 'North Central' region has been renamed the 'Midwest' region by the Census Bureau.  It is
 composed of the same geographic entities.
   3    Indexes on a December 1986=100 base.
   -    Data not available.
 NOTE:  Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.

 Table 4(OS) Old Series Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W):
 Selected areas, all items index

 (1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)
                                                                                                      
                                                                                                      
                                               Prici-           Indexes             Percent change to 
                                                 ng                                  Mar.1998 from--  
                     Area                      sched-                                                 
                                                 ule                                                  
                                                 (1)   Dec.   Jan.   Feb.   Mar.   Dec.   Jan.   Feb. 
                                                       1997   1998   1998   1998   1997   1998   1998 
                                                                                                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                      
 U.S. city average ...........................   M    158.2  158.4  158.7  158.8    0.4    0.3    0.1 
                                                                                                      
             Selected local areas                                                                     
                                                                                                      
 Chicago-Gary-Lake County, IL-IN-WI ..........   M    157.3  156.8  157.2  157.9     .4     .7     .4 
 Los Angeles-Anaheim-Riverside, CA ...........   M    155.3  155.1  155.2  155.1    -.1     .0    -.1 
 New York-Northern N.J.-Long Island, NY-NJ-CT    M    167.7  167.7  168.3  168.5     .5     .5     .1 
                                                                                                      
 Boston-Lawrence-Salem, MA-NH.................   1        -  169.5      -  169.5      -     .0      - 
 Cleveland-Akron-Lorain, OH ..................   1        -  149.9      -  149.7      -    -.1      - 
 Dallas-Fort Worth, TX .......................   1    152.7  152.2      -  152.5    -.1     .2      - 
                                                                                                      
 Detroit-Ann Arbor, MI .......................   2    151.7      -  153.0      -      -      -      - 
 Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX ..............   2    144.5      -  145.1      -      -      -      - 
 Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL ...................   2    156.8      -  157.8      -      -      -      - 
 Philadelphia-Wilmington-Trenton, PA-NJ-DE-MD    2    165.7      -  166.3      -      -      -      - 
 San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA ..........   2    159.4      -  160.1      -      -      -      - 
                                                                                                      
             Region and area size                                                                     
                                                                                                      
 Northeast urban .............................   M    165.5  165.8  166.1  166.1     .4     .2     .0 
 Midwest urban (2)............................   M    153.7  153.9  154.3  154.5     .5     .4     .1 
 South urban .................................   M    155.6  155.8  155.8  156.2     .4     .3     .3 
 West urban ..................................   M    159.2  159.3  159.4  159.3     .1     .0    -.1 
                                                                                                      
            Population size classes                                                                   
                                                                                                      
 A (3)........................................   M    144.4  144.6  144.8  145.0     .4     .3     .1 
 D ...........................................   M    156.7  156.8  156.8  156.9     .1     .1     .1 
                                                                                                      
 Region/Population size class cross                                                                   
     classifications                                                                                  
                                                                                                      
 Northeast Size A -  More than 1,500,000 .....   M    165.2  165.4  165.9  165.8     .4     .2    -.1 
 Midwest Size A   - More than 1,500,000 ......   M    153.6  153.7  154.2  154.5     .6     .5     .2 
 South Size A -  More than 1,500,000 .........   M    154.2  154.4  154.3  154.8     .4     .3     .3 
 West Size A   - More than 1,500,000 .........   M    157.9  157.9  158.1  158.0     .1     .1    -.1 
 Midwest Size D -  Nonmetropolitan  (less than                                                        
     50,000) .................................   M    151.0  151.0  151.0  151.0     .0     .0     .0 
 South Size D -  Nonmetropolitan  (less than                                                          
     50,000) .................................   M    157.5  157.7  158.0  158.3     .5     .4     .2 

   1    The 'All items' index size B/C is on a December 1996=100 base.
   2    The 'North Central' region has been renamed the 'Midwest' region by the Census Bureau.  It is
 composed of the same geographic entities.
   3    Indexes on a December 1986=100 base.
   -    Data not available.
 NOTE:  Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.