FOR TECHNICAL INFORMATION:
     Patrick C. Jackman (202) 606-7000      USDL-99-68
 CPI QUICKLINE:         (202) 606-6994      TRANSMISSION OF
 FOR CURRENT AND HISTORICAL                 MATERIAL IN THIS
     INFORMATION:       (202) 606-7828      RELEASE IS EMBARGOED
 MEDIA CONTACT:         (202) 606-5902      UNTIL 8:30 A.M. (EST)
 INTERNET ADDRESS:                          Thursday, March 18, 1999
     http://stats.bls.gov/cpihome.htm  
  
                                     
                   CONSUMER PRICE INDEX:  FEBRUARY 1999
 
     The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) rose 0.1
 percent in February, before seasonal adjustment, to a level of 164.5 (1982-
 84=100), the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor
 reported today.  For the 12-month period ended in February, the CPI-U has
 increased 1.6 percent.
 
      The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers
 (CPI-W) also rose 0.1 percent in February, prior to seasonal adjustment.
 The February level of 161.1 was 1.6 percent higher than the index in
 February 1998.
 
 CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U)
     
      On a seasonally adjusted basis, the CPI-U rose 0.1 percent in
 February, the same as in each of the preceding two months.  The food
 index, which advanced 0.5 percent in January, increased 0.1 percent in
 February.  The index for food at home also rose 0.1 percent in February,
 following a 0.5 percent rise in January.  The deceleration was largely due
 to a sharp downturn in prices for fruits and vegetables.  The energy
 index, which fell 0.2 percent in January, was unchanged in February.  The
 index for petroleum-based energy declined 0.5 percent, while the index for
 energy services increased 0.4 percent.  Excluding food and energy, the CPI-
 U increased 0.1 percent in February, the same as in January.  Within this
 group, an upturn in shelter costs and a smaller decline in the index for
 apparel were largely offset by a downturn in the index for tobacco and
 smoking products.
 
 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                 1998              1999   3-mos. ended  ended
                     Aug. Sep. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb.   Feb.'99   Feb.'99
 All Items            .1    .1   .2   .2   .1   .1   .1    1.2       1.6
  Food and beverages  .3    .0   .5   .2   .1   .4   .2    2.7       2.5
  Housing             .2    .2   .2   .3   .1  -.1   .1     .7       2.2
  Apparel            1.0   -.6   .0  -.1  -.6 -1.1  -.2   -7.3      -1.7
  Transportation     -.1   -.4   .1  -.1  -.4  -.1  -.1   -2.5      -1.6
  Medical care        .4    .3   .2   .2   .3   .3   .2    3.5       3.5
  Recreation          .2    .1  -.2   .1   .1   .4  -.1    1.6       1.1
  Education and                                                         
      communication  -.5    .1   .1   .3  -.2   .3   .1     .8       1.1
  Other goods and                                                    
      services        .2    .9   .3  -.3  4.2  2.0  -.1   26.7       9.4
 Special indexes:                                                       
  Energy            -1.0  -1.2   .1  -.3 -1.1  -.2   .0   -5.1      -5.7
  Food                .2    .1   .5   .1   .1   .5   .1    2.7       2.4
  All items less                                                        
   food and energy    .2    .2   .2   .1   .3   .1   .1    1.8       2.1
 
  
      The food and beverages index rose 0.2 percent in February. The index
 for food at home, which increased 0.5 percent in January, rose 0.1 percent
 in February.  The deceleration was largely due to a sharp downturn in the
 index for fruits and vegetables, which declined 1.1 percent in February,
 following a 2.2 percent increase in January.  A 3.4 percent decline in the
 index for fresh vegetables more than offset a 0.6 percent increase in the
 index for fresh fruits.  (Prior to seasonal adjustment, prices for fresh
 fruits declined 3.6 percent and prices for fresh vegetables fell 6.5
 percent.)  The index for processed fruits and vegetables declined 0.3
 percent.  The index for cereal and bakery products also declined in
 February--down 0.4 percent after increasing 0.8 percent in January.  The
 index for dairy products continued to advance in February, but by less
 than in recent months--up 0.7 percent in February after increasing 2.3
 percent in January.   Partially offsetting this deceleration was an upturn
 in the index for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs, which rose 0.9 percent in
 February after registering a 0.8 percent drop in January.  Prices for beef
 and veal, for pork, and for fish and seafood, each of which declined by at
 least 1.0 percent in January, increased 1.3, 1.4, and 1.3 percent,
 respectively, in February.  Poultry prices declined for the fourth
 consecutive month, down 0.7 percent in February.  Among the other major
 grocery store food groups, the indexes for nonalcoholic beverages and for
 other food at home rose 0.2 and 0.1 percent, respectively.  The other two
 components of the food and beverage index--food away from home and
 alcoholic beverages--rose 0.2 and 0.4 percent, respectively, in February.
      
      The housing component rose 0.1 percent in February.  Shelter costs,
 which were unchanged in January, increased 0.2 percent in February.
 Within shelter, the indexes for rent and for owners' equivalent rent rose
 0.2 and 0.3 percent, respectively, while the cost of lodging away from
 home declined 0.5 percent.  (Prior to seasonal adjustment, the cost of
 lodging while away from home increased 3.2 percent.)  The index for fuels
 and utilities rose 0.2 percent in February.  The index for household fuels
 increased 0.3 percent, as increases in the indexes for electricity and for
 natural gas more than offset a 1.4 percent decline in the index for fuel
 oil.  The indexes for electricity and for natural gas increased 0.6 and
 0.1 percent, respectively.  The index for household furnishings and
 operations declined 0.2 percent in February, reflecting discounting on
 most home furnishings.
      
      The transportation component declined for the fourth consecutive
 month, down 0.1 percent in February.  Declines in the prices for new and
 used vehicles and for gasoline were partially offset by an increase in
 airline fares.  The index for new vehicles fell 0.3 percent and the index
 for used cars and trucks decreased 1.5 percent. The index for gasoline
 declined 0.5 percent in February.  (Prior to seasonal adjustment, gasoline
 prices fell 1.7 percent; as of February, gasoline prices were 30.1 percent
 lower than their peak level in November 1990.)  Public transportation
 costs increased 1.4 percent in February, reflecting a 2.4 percent rise in
 airline fares.
 
      The index for apparel decreased 0.2 percent in February, following a
 1.1 percent drop in January.  (Prior to seasonal adjustment, apparel
 prices rose 1.4 percent, reflecting the introduction of higher-priced
 spring summer wear.)
      
      Medical care costs rose 0.2 percent in February to a level 3.5
 percent above a year ago.  The index for medical care commodities--
 prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and medical supplies--increased
 0.2 percent.  The index for medical care services rose 0.3 percent.
 Charges for professional services and for hospital and related services
 increased 0.1 and 0.5 percent, respectively.  (Prior to seasonal
 adjustment, the indexes for professional services and hospital services
 rose 0.4 and 0.6 percent, respectively.)
 
      The index for recreation costs declined 0.1 percent in February,
 following a 0.4 percent rise in January.  In February, the indexes for
 video and audio equipment, toys, and recreational reading materials each
 turned down, more than offsetting increases in the indexes for club
 memberships and for admissions to movies, theaters, concerts, and sporting
 events.
      
      The index for education and communication increased 0.1 percent in
 February.  Educational costs, reflecting a 1.2 percent increase in the
 index for textbooks and supplies, rose 0.8 percent, while the index for
 communication decreased 0.4 percent.  Within the latter group, decreases
 in the indexes for personal computers and peripheral equipment and for
 telephone services--down 2.8 and 0.3 percent, respectively--more than
 offset a 1.1 percent increase in the index for delivery services.
  
      The index for other goods and services declined 0.1 percent in
 February, following a 2.0 percent increase in January.  The index for
 tobacco and smoking products, which increased 6.6 percent in January,
 declined 1.4 percent in February.  Despite this decline, cigarette prices
 have increased 35.4 percent in the 12-month period ended in February.
 Charges for personal financial services and for legal services rose 0.7
 and 0.9 percent, respectively, in February.
 
 CPI for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W)
 
      On a seasonally adjusted basis, the CPI for Urban Wage Earners and
 Clerical Workers was unchanged in February.

 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                 1998              1999   3-mos. ended  ended
                     Aug. Sep. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb.   Feb.'99   Feb.'99
 All Items            .1    .1   .2   .2   .2   .2   .0    1.5       1.6
  Food and beverages  .2    .1   .4   .2   .1   .4   .1    2.5       2.4
  Housing             .1    .2   .2   .3   .2   .0   .1    1.3       2.1
  Apparel             .8   -.3   .4  -.1  -.5 -1.1  -.4   -7.6      -1.5
  Transportation     -.2   -.4   .2  -.1  -.5  -.1  -.4   -3.9      -1.8
  Medical care        .4    .3   .2   .2   .2   .3   .2    3.0       3.4
  Recreation          .1    .1  -.3   .1   .1   .4  -.2    1.2        .6
  Education and                                                         
    communication    -.5    .2   .1   .3  -.2   .3   .2    1.2       1.4
  Other goods and                                                     
    services          .2   1.3   .2  -.5  5.8  2.5  -.2   36.8      12.0
 Special indexes                                                       
  Energy            -1.3  -1.1   .2  -.4 -1.3  -.1  -.2   -6.3      -6.2
  Food                .2    .1   .4   .2   .0   .5   .1    2.5       2.4
  All items less                                                         
   food and energy    .2    .2   .1   .2   .4   .1   .0    1.9       2.2
 
  
     Consumer Price Index data for March are scheduled for release on
 Tuesday, April 13, 1999, at 8:30 A.M. (EDT).
     
     
 CPI (Old Series)
 
      For the first six months of 1999, BLS will also publish Old Series
 CPI-U and Old Series CPI-W based on the former method of calculating the
 elementary aggregates, that is, employing an arithmetic mean in all index
 categories.  These old series data are contained in tables 1 (LAS)-4
 (LAS).  From January to February, the Old Series CPI-U and the Old Series
 CPI-W rose 0.2 and 0.1 percent, respectively.  These series are not
 seasonally adjusted.  (The unadjusted CPI-U and CPI-W using the new method
 of calculating the elementary aggregates each rose 0.1 percent in
 February.)
 
 __________________________________________________________________________
 

 Consumer Price Index Formula Changed
      
      On April 16, 1998, the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced its
 decision to use a new formula for calculating the basic components of the
 Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers (CPI-U) and the Consumer
 Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W).  This
 change is effective with data for January 1999.
      The new formula, the geometric mean estimator, will be used in index
 categories that comprise approximately 61 percent of total consumer
 spending represented by the CPI-U.  The remaining index categories, which
 are shown in the table below, will continue to be calculated as they have
 been. Based upon BLS research, it is expected that planned use of the new
 formula will reduce the annual rate of increase in the CPI by
 approximately 0.2 percentage point per year.
      The geometric mean estimator has been introduced in both the CPI-U
 and the CPI-W effective with data for January 1999, in accord with the
 past practice of introducing methodological changes at the beginning of a
 calendar year. BLS will continue to publish "overlap" CPI-U and CPI-W
 series using the former calculation method for the first six months of
 1999.  These indexes will not be published regularly for months subsequent
 to June 1999, but will be available upon request.
      Additional information on this change was published in the April 1998
 CPI Detailed Report and is available on the Internet
 (http://stats.bls.gov/cpihome.htm).  This information also may be obtained
 by writing to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Division of Consumer Prices
 and Price Indexes, 2 Massachusetts Ave., N.E., Room 3615, Washington, D.C.
 20212 or by calling (202) 606-7000.
      
      Arithmetic Mean (Laspeyres) Formula
      
 1.  Selected shelter services:

 A) Rent of primary       B) Owners' equivalent     C) Housing at school,
 residence                rent of primary           excluding board
                          residence
                                                   
                                                   
 2.  Selected utilities and government charges:

 A) Electricity           C) Residential water and  E)  Telephone services,
                          sewerage maintenance      local charges
                                                   
 B) Utility natural gas   D) State and local        F) Cable television
 service                  registration, license,
                          and motor vehicle
                          property tax
                                                 
 3.  Selected medical care services:

 A) Physicians' services  C) Eyeglasses and eye     E) Hospital services
                          care

 B) Dental services       D) Services by other      F) Nursing homes and
                          medical professionals     adult daycare
       
 _______________________________________________________________________


       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 1994 through 1998 were replaced at the end of
       1998.  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 wholesale
       tobacco prices and legal fees passed on to consumers.  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.  The procedure was
       used to account for unusual butter fat supply reductions
       affecting the Fats and oils series.  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 or sending e-mail to
       Gallagher_C@BLS.GOV.
 


 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,                      Feb. 1999 from-    percent change from- 
                     CPI-U                       December                                                               
                                                   1998       Jan.      Feb.                                            
                                                              1999      1999     Feb.     Jan.   Nov. to Dec. to Jan. to
                                                                                 1998     1999     Dec.    Jan.    Feb. 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                        
             Expenditure category                                                                                       
                                                                                                                        
 All items ...................................    100.000     164.3     164.5      1.6      0.1     0.1     0.1     0.1 
 All items (1967=100) ........................          -     492.3     492.9        -        -       -       -       - 
                                                                                                                        
  Food and beverages .........................     16.408     163.9     163.8      2.5     -0.1     0.1     0.4     0.2 
   Food ......................................     15.422     163.6     163.3      2.4     -0.2     0.1     0.5     0.1 
    Food at home .............................      9.691     164.3     163.8      2.4     -0.3     0.0     0.5     0.1 
     Cereals and bakery products .............      1.544     184.2     183.8      2.3     -0.2     0.1     0.8    -0.4 
     Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ..........      2.569     146.4     147.0     -0.3      0.4    -0.3    -0.8     0.9 
     Dairy and related products (1)...........      1.088     161.2     162.3      9.9      0.7     1.1     2.3     0.7 
     Fruits and vegetables ...................      1.440     208.6     200.3      3.4     -4.0     0.0     2.2    -1.1 
     Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage                                                                                
         materials ...........................      1.049     133.5     134.5     -0.2      0.7    -0.2     0.5     0.2 
     Other food at home ......................      2.002     153.0     153.3      2.8      0.2    -0.4    -0.2     0.1 
      Sugar and sweets .......................       .377     151.7     151.3      1.1     -0.3     0.2    -0.1    -0.1 
      Fats and oils ..........................       .309     150.5     150.9      6.6      0.3    -1.9    -2.0     0.2 
      Other foods ............................      1.316     167.7     168.2      2.4      0.3    -0.2     0.1     0.2 
       Other miscellaneous foods (1) (2)......       .320     104.1     105.9      5.5      1.7     0.1    -0.8     1.7 
    Food away from home (1)...................      5.730     163.5     163.8      2.6      0.2     0.2     0.3     0.2 
     Other food away from home (1) (2)........       .175     103.5     103.7      3.3      0.2     0.0     0.2     0.2 
   Alcoholic beverages .......................       .986     167.6     168.6      2.2      0.6     0.2     0.1     0.4 
                                                                                                                        
  Housing ....................................     39.828     161.8     162.3      2.2      0.3     0.1    -0.1     0.1 
   Shelter ...................................     30.283     184.7     185.5      3.0      0.4     0.2     0.0     0.2 
    Rent of primary residence (3).............      7.007     175.3     175.6      3.4      0.2     0.3     0.2     0.2 
    Lodging away from home (2) (3)............      2.376     107.1     110.5      1.1      3.2    -1.0    -1.8    -0.5 
    Owners' equivalent rent of primary                                                                                  
        residence (3) (4).....................     20.529     191.0     191.3      3.1      0.2     0.3     0.1     0.3 
    Tenants' and household insurance (1) (2)..       .371      99.7     100.1     -0.1      0.4     0.0    -0.2     0.4 
   Fuels and utilities .......................      4.735     126.2     126.0     -1.1     -0.2    -0.2    -0.2     0.2 
    Fuels ....................................      3.801     110.9     110.6     -2.0     -0.3    -0.2    -0.4     0.3 
     Fuel oil and other fuels ................       .227      86.6      86.2     -9.5     -0.5    -2.0    -0.1    -1.4 
     Gas (piped) and electricity (3)..........      3.574     118.3     118.0     -1.4     -0.3    -0.1    -0.4     0.4 
   Household furnishings and operations ......      4.810     126.8     126.7      0.5     -0.1     0.1     0.0    -0.2 
                                                                                                                        
  Apparel ....................................      4.831     127.9     129.7     -1.7      1.4    -0.6    -1.1    -0.2 
   Men's and boys' apparel ...................      1.358     128.1     129.9     -0.7      1.4    -0.5    -0.5     0.6 
   Women's and girls' apparel ................      1.939     117.7     120.6     -3.0      2.5    -0.6    -1.9    -0.4 
   Infants' and toddlers' apparel (1).........       .272     130.0     126.4      2.7     -2.8    -1.3     0.3    -2.8 
   Footwear ..................................       .876     125.6     124.8     -1.4     -0.6    -0.6    -0.9    -1.3 
                                                                                                                        
  Transportation .............................     16.999     140.4     139.8     -1.6     -0.4    -0.4    -0.1    -0.1 
   Private transportation ....................     15.653     136.7     135.9     -1.8     -0.6    -0.4    -0.2    -0.3 
    New and used motor vehicles (2)...........      7.843     100.6      99.9     -0.3     -0.7    -0.1    -0.4    -0.7 
     New vehicles ............................      4.983     144.4     143.8     -0.4     -0.4     0.1     0.1    -0.3 
     Used cars and trucks (1).................      1.914     150.6     148.3     -0.1     -1.5    -0.6    -1.6    -1.5 
    Motor fuel ...............................      2.493      85.0      83.6    -11.2     -1.6    -2.5     0.0    -0.3 
     Gasoline (all types) ....................      2.476      84.5      83.1    -11.1     -1.7    -2.6     0.1    -0.5 
    Motor vehicle parts and equipment ........       .549     101.2     100.9     -0.5     -0.3    -0.1    -0.1    -0.4 
    Motor vehicle maintenance and repair .....      1.624     169.8     170.4      3.0      0.4     0.2     0.1     0.2 
   Public transportation (1)..................      1.346     190.4     193.1      1.0      1.4     0.5     1.1     1.4 
                                                                                                                        
  Medical care ...............................      5.713     246.6     247.7      3.5      0.4     0.3     0.3     0.2 
   Medical care commodities ..................      1.252     225.9     226.8      3.8      0.4     0.4     0.0     0.2 
   Medical care services .....................      4.461     251.3     252.6      3.4      0.5     0.2     0.4     0.3 
    Professional services (3).................      2.854     225.8     226.8      3.2      0.4     0.2     0.3     0.1 
    Hospital and related services (3).........      1.354     294.4     296.2      3.9      0.6     0.2     0.6     0.5 
                                                                                                                        
  Recreation (2)..............................      6.120     101.7     101.8      1.1      0.1     0.1     0.4    -0.1 
   Video and audio (1) (2)....................      1.748     101.4     101.6      0.4      0.2     0.2     0.4    -0.5 
                                                                                                                        
  Education and communication (2).............      5.478     100.9     100.9      1.1      0.0    -0.2     0.3     0.1 
   Education (2)..............................      2.694     105.0     105.3      4.9      0.3     0.4     0.3     0.8 
    Educational books and supplies ...........       .203     258.4     261.3      5.8      1.1     0.4    -0.7     1.2 
    Tuition, other school fees, and childcare       2.492     302.4     303.3      4.9      0.3     0.4     0.4     0.7 
   Communication (1) (2)......................      2.783      97.3      96.9     -2.3     -0.4    -0.7     0.2    -0.4 
    Information and information processing (1)                                                                          
        (2)...................................      2.580      96.9      96.5     -2.6     -0.4    -0.7     0.0    -0.4 
     Telephone services (1) (2)...............      2.327     100.7     100.4      0.4     -0.3    -0.8     0.4    -0.3 
     Information and information processing                                                                             
         other than telephone services (1) (5)       .253      33.8      33.3    -24.8     -1.5    -1.4    -2.9    -1.5 
      Personal computers and peripheral                                                                                 
          equipment (1) (2)...................       .148      61.4      59.7    -34.6     -2.8    -2.1    -4.4    -2.8 
                                                                                                                        
  Other goods and services ...................      4.624     255.4     255.0      9.4     -0.2     4.2     2.0    -0.1 
   Tobacco and smoking products ..............      1.159     354.2     348.7     33.5     -1.6    18.5     6.6    -1.4 
   Personal care (1)..........................      3.465     158.9     159.4      2.8      0.3     0.2     0.4     0.3 
    Personal care products (1)................       .742     149.9     149.8      2.1     -0.1    -0.1     0.8    -0.1 
    Personal care services (1)................       .973     168.8     169.3      3.0      0.3     0.4     0.3     0.3 
    Miscellaneous personal services ..........      1.491     238.9     240.6      3.7      0.7     0.4     0.3     0.4 
                                                                                                                        
          Commodity and service group                                                                                   
                                                                                                                        
 Commodities .................................     42.109     142.5     142.2      0.5     -0.2     0.2     0.2    -0.2 
  Food and beverages .........................     16.408     163.9     163.8      2.5     -0.1     0.1     0.4     0.2 
  Commodities less food and beverages ........     25.702     129.9     129.6     -0.7     -0.2     0.2     0.1    -0.4 
   Nondurables less food and beverages .......     14.345     131.8     131.9     -0.2      0.1     0.4     0.2    -0.2 
    Apparel ..................................      4.831     127.9     129.7     -1.7      1.4    -0.6    -1.1    -0.2 
    Nondurables less food, beverages, and                                                                               
        apparel ..............................      9.514     138.8     138.0      0.6     -0.6     0.8     0.9    -0.4 
   Durables ..................................     11.356     127.1     126.4     -1.4     -0.6    -0.2    -0.3    -0.6 
 Services ....................................     57.891     186.3     186.9      2.5      0.3     0.2     0.1     0.2 
  Rent of shelter (4).........................     29.912     192.3     193.1      3.0      0.4     0.2     0.0     0.1 
  Transportation services ....................      6.963     188.8     189.3      0.7      0.3     0.2     0.2     0.4 
  Other services .............................     10.768     220.5     221.1      3.1      0.3     0.1     0.5     0.2 
                                                                                                                        
                Special indexes                                                                                         
                                                                                                                        
 All items less food .........................     84.578     164.5     164.7      1.5      0.1     0.2     0.1     0.1 
 All items less shelter ......................     69.717     158.1     158.1      1.1      0.0     0.1     0.3     0.0 
 All items less medical care .................     94.287     159.8     160.0      1.6      0.1     0.2     0.1     0.0 
 Commodities less food .......................     26.688     131.4     131.1     -0.6     -0.2     0.3     0.0    -0.4 
 Nondurables less food .......................     15.331     133.9     134.0     -0.1      0.1     0.3     0.1    -0.3 
 Nondurables less food and apparel ...........     10.500     140.7     140.0      0.8     -0.5     0.7     0.9    -0.4 
 Nondurables .................................     30.753     147.9     147.9      1.2      0.0     0.2     0.3    -0.1 
 Services less rent of shelter (4)............     27.979     193.3     193.8      1.9      0.3     0.3     0.1     0.2 
 Services less medical care services .........     53.429     180.3     180.9      2.4      0.3     0.3     0.0     0.2 
 Energy ......................................      6.294      98.1      97.3     -5.7     -0.8    -1.1    -0.2     0.0 
 All items less energy .......................     93.706     172.9     173.2      2.1      0.2     0.3     0.1     0.1 
  All items less food and energy .............     78.284     175.3     175.7      2.1      0.2     0.3     0.1     0.1 
   Commodities less food and energy                                                                                     
       commodities ...........................     23.967     143.7     143.7      0.7      0.0     0.6     0.0    -0.4 
    Energy commodities .......................      2.720      85.2      83.9    -11.0     -1.5    -2.5     0.0    -0.5 
   Services less energy services .............     54.316     193.2     194.0      2.8      0.4     0.2     0.2     0.2 
 Purchasing power of the consumer dollar .....          -    $ .608    $ .608        -        -       -       -       - 
 Purchasing power of the consumer dollar - old                                                                          
     base ....................................          -    $ .203    $ .203        -        -       -       -       - 

   1 Not seasonally adjusted.
   2 Indexes on a December 1997=100 base.
   3 This index series was calculated using a Laspeyres estimator.  All other item stratum index series converted to a
 geometric means estimator in January, 1999.
   4 Indexes on a December 1982=100 base.
   5 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--   
                                                 Nov.    Dec.    Jan.    Feb.                                           
                                                 1998    1998    1999    1999                                           
                                                                                 May   Aug.   Nov.   Feb.   Aug.   Feb. 
                                                                                1998   1998   1998   1999   1998   1999 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                        
             Expenditure category                                                                                       
                                                                                                                        
 All items ...................................  164.2   164.4   164.6   164.7    2.0    1.5    1.7    1.2    1.7    1.5 
                                                                                                                        
  Food and beverages .........................  162.7   162.8   163.5   163.8    2.3    2.3    2.8    2.7    2.3    2.7 
   Food ......................................  162.4   162.5   163.3   163.5    2.3    2.3    2.8    2.7    2.3    2.7 
    Food at home .............................  162.7   162.7   163.5   163.7    2.0    2.3    2.8    2.5    2.1    2.6 
     Cereals and bakery products .............  182.7   182.9   184.4   183.6    2.5    3.1    1.5    2.0    2.8    1.8 
     Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ..........  147.1   146.7   145.5   146.8   -1.1    2.5   -1.9   -0.8    0.7   -1.3 
     Dairy and related products (1)...........  155.9   157.6   161.2   162.3    1.1    6.6   15.1   17.5    3.8   16.3 
     Fruits and vegetables ...................  200.4   200.4   204.8   202.6   14.9   -5.8    1.2    4.5    4.0    2.8 
     Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage                                                                                
         materials ...........................  133.1   132.8   133.4   133.7   -3.8   -1.2    2.4    1.8   -2.5    2.1 
     Other food at home ......................  153.8   153.2   152.9   153.1    1.3    7.1    4.8   -1.8    4.2    1.5 
      Sugar and sweets .......................  151.0   151.3   151.1   151.0   -0.5    3.3    1.9    0.0    1.3    0.9 
      Fats and oils ..........................  156.1   153.2   150.2   150.5    0.3   26.0   18.5  -13.6   12.4    1.2 
      Other foods ............................  167.7   167.4   167.6   167.9    2.2    4.4    2.7    0.5    3.3    1.6 
       Other miscellaneous foods (1) (2)......  104.8   104.9   104.1   105.9    4.0    8.5    5.1    4.3    6.3    4.7 
    Food away from home (1)...................  162.6   163.0   163.5   163.8    2.5    2.3    2.8    3.0    2.4    2.9 
     Other food away from home (1) (2)........  103.3   103.3   103.5   103.7    0.8    6.9    4.0    1.6    3.8    2.8 
   Alcoholic beverages .......................  167.1   167.5   167.6   168.3    0.5    2.7    2.7    2.9    1.6    2.8 
                                                                                                                        
  Housing ....................................  161.8   162.0   161.9   162.1    3.1    2.0    2.8    0.7    2.5    1.7 
   Shelter ...................................  184.3   184.6   184.6   184.9    3.6    2.9    4.0    1.3    3.3    2.6 
    Rent of primary residence (3).............  174.4   174.9   175.3   175.6    3.6    3.5    3.8    2.8    3.6    3.3 
    Lodging away from home (2) (3)............  104.8   103.8   101.9   101.4    6.9   -1.6   12.8  -12.4    2.6   -0.6 
    Owners' equivalent rent of primary                                                                                  
        residence (3) (4).....................  190.0   190.6   190.8   191.3    3.5    3.2    3.0    2.8    3.4    2.9 
    Tenants' and household insurance (1) (2)..   99.9    99.9    99.7   100.1   -2.4   -1.6    2.9    0.8   -2.0    1.8 
   Fuels and utilities .......................  127.2   127.0   126.8   127.1    1.3   -2.8   -2.2   -0.3   -0.8   -1.2 
    Fuels ....................................  111.4   111.2   110.8   111.1    1.1   -4.2   -3.2   -1.1   -1.6   -2.1 
     Fuel oil and other fuels ................   86.6    84.9    84.8    83.6   -3.0   -8.1  -12.7  -13.2   -5.6  -12.9 
     Gas (piped) and electricity (3)..........  119.2   119.1   118.6   119.1    1.0   -3.9   -2.3   -0.3   -1.5   -1.3 
   Household furnishings and operations ......  126.9   127.0   127.0   126.7    1.0    1.3    0.3   -0.6    1.1   -0.2 
                                                                                                                        
  Apparel ....................................  133.1   132.3   130.8   130.6    0.3    3.4   -2.7   -7.3    1.8   -5.0 
   Men's and boys' apparel ...................  131.6   131.0   130.3   131.1   -0.9    1.5   -1.8   -1.5    0.3   -1.7 
   Women's and girls' apparel ................  125.3   124.6   122.2   121.7    2.6    6.5   -8.7  -11.0    4.5   -9.9 
   Infants' and toddlers' apparel (1).........  131.3   129.6   130.0   126.4   12.9   -7.7   24.1  -14.1    2.1    3.2 
   Footwear ..................................  129.0   128.2   127.1   125.5   -1.2    6.8   -0.3  -10.4    2.7   -5.5 
                                                                                                                        
  Transportation .............................  141.1   140.6   140.4   140.2   -2.2   -0.3   -1.4   -2.5   -1.3   -2.0 
   Private transportation ....................  137.7   137.1   136.8   136.4   -2.3   -0.9   -0.6   -3.7   -1.6   -2.2 
    New and used motor vehicles (2)...........  101.0   100.9   100.5    99.8    0.0    2.4    0.8   -4.7    1.2   -2.0 
     New vehicles ............................  143.3   143.4   143.5   143.0   -1.4    2.5   -1.9   -0.8    0.6   -1.4 
     Used cars and trucks (1).................  154.0   153.1   150.6   148.3    4.4    3.0    7.9  -14.0    3.7   -3.7 
    Motor fuel ...............................   88.6    86.4    86.4    86.1  -14.1  -11.1   -8.5  -10.8  -12.6   -9.7 
     Gasoline (all types) ....................   88.2    85.9    86.0    85.6  -14.1  -11.9   -7.4  -11.3  -13.0   -9.3 
    Motor vehicle parts and equipment ........  101.2   101.1   101.0   100.6   -0.8    1.2    0.0   -2.4    0.2   -1.2 
    Motor vehicle maintenance and repair .....  169.3   169.6   169.8   170.2    1.7    3.4    4.4    2.1    2.6    3.2 
   Public transportation (1)..................  187.4   188.4   190.4   193.1   -1.7    3.8   -9.6   12.7    1.0    0.9 
                                                                                                                        
  Medical care ...............................  245.4   246.1   246.9   247.5    4.1    3.9    2.8    3.5    4.0    3.1 
   Medical care commodities ..................  225.3   226.1   226.2   226.6    5.4    3.7    4.0    2.3    4.5    3.2 
   Medical care services .....................  249.7   250.3   251.3   252.1    3.7    3.8    2.6    3.9    3.7    3.3 
    Professional services (3).................  224.9   225.4   226.1   226.4    3.7    3.7    2.9    2.7    3.7    2.8 
    Hospital and related services (3).........  291.0   291.7   293.5   295.0    3.0    4.7    2.2    5.6    3.8    3.9 
                                                                                                                        
  Recreation (2)..............................  101.1   101.2   101.6   101.5    1.6    1.2    0.0    1.6    1.4    0.8 
   Video and audio (1) (2)....................  101.1   101.3   101.7   101.2    1.2    0.0    0.0    0.4    0.6    0.2 
                                                                                                                        
  Education and communication (2).............  100.9   100.7   101.0   101.1    3.2   -1.2    2.0    0.8    1.0    1.4 
   Education (2)..............................  104.3   104.7   105.0   105.8    5.7    3.6    4.7    5.9    4.6    5.3 
    Educational books and supplies ...........  257.2   258.2   256.4   259.4    7.5    1.1   11.5    3.5    4.3    7.4 
    Tuition, other school fees, and childcare   298.8   300.0   301.2   303.3    5.8    3.7    3.8    6.2    4.8    5.0 
   Communication (1) (2)......................   97.8    97.1    97.3    96.9    0.8   -5.9   -0.4   -3.6   -2.6   -2.0 
    Information and information processing (1)                                                                          
        (2)...................................   97.6    96.9    96.9    96.5    0.8   -6.3   -0.4   -4.4   -2.8   -2.4 
     Telephone services (1) (2)...............  101.1   100.3   100.7   100.4    4.5   -2.7    2.8   -2.7    0.8    0.0 
     Information and information processing                                                                             
         other than telephone services (1) (5)   35.3    34.8    33.8    33.3  -23.0  -32.6  -22.3  -20.8  -28.0  -21.6 
      Personal computers and peripheral                                                                                 
          equipment (1) (2)...................   65.6    64.2    61.4    59.7  -32.7  -45.4  -27.5  -31.4  -39.4  -29.5 
                                                                                                                        
  Other goods and services ...................  240.9   251.0   255.9   255.6    5.8    3.1    3.6   26.7    4.4   14.6 
   Tobacco and smoking products ..............  280.2   331.9   353.9   349.0   11.8    9.2    8.1  140.7   10.5   61.3 
   Personal care (1)..........................  158.0   158.3   158.9   159.4    4.2    1.3    2.3    3.6    2.7    2.9 
    Personal care products (1)................  148.8   148.7   149.9   149.8    7.3   -2.1    0.8    2.7    2.5    1.8 
    Personal care services (1)................  167.6   168.3   168.8   169.3    2.7    2.9    2.4    4.1    2.8    3.3 
    Miscellaneous personal services ..........  237.8   238.8   239.4   240.4    2.8    4.0    3.6    4.4    3.4    4.0 
                                                                                                                        
          Commodity and service group                                                                                   
                                                                                                                        
 Commodities .................................  142.2   142.5   142.8   142.5    0.3    0.8    0.0    0.8    0.6    0.4 
  Food and beverages .........................  162.7   162.8   163.5   163.8    2.3    2.3    2.8    2.7    2.3    2.7 
  Commodities less food and beverages ........  130.2   130.5   130.6   130.1   -0.6   -0.3   -1.5   -0.3   -0.5   -0.9 
   Nondurables less food and beverages .......  132.3   132.8   133.0   132.7   -0.3   -0.3   -0.9    1.2   -0.3    0.2 
    Apparel ..................................  133.1   132.3   130.8   130.6    0.3    3.4   -2.7   -7.3    1.8   -5.0 
    Nondurables less food, beverages, and                                                                               
        apparel ..............................  136.9   138.0   139.3   138.7   -1.4   -0.9   -0.6    5.4   -1.2    2.3 
   Durables ..................................  127.4   127.2   126.8   126.0   -0.9    0.6   -0.9   -4.3   -0.2   -2.6 
 Services ....................................  186.0   186.3   186.5   186.9    3.1    2.2    2.6    1.9    2.6    2.3 
  Rent of shelter (4).........................  192.1   192.5   192.5   192.7    3.7    2.8    4.1    1.3    3.2    2.6 
  Transportation services ....................  187.8   188.1   188.4   189.1    0.2    1.1   -1.1    2.8    0.6    0.9 
  Other services .............................  219.6   219.8   220.8   221.3    4.2    2.2    3.0    3.1    3.2    3.1 
                                                                                                                        
                Special indexes                                                                                         
                                                                                                                        
 All items less food .........................  164.3   164.6   164.7   164.8    2.0    1.2    1.5    1.2    1.6    1.3 
 All items less shelter ......................  157.8   158.0   158.4   158.4    1.0    1.0    0.8    1.5    1.0    1.1 
 All items less medical care .................  159.4   159.7   159.9   159.9    2.0    1.3    1.5    1.3    1.7    1.4 
 Commodities less food .......................  131.8   132.2   132.2   131.7   -0.9    0.0   -1.5   -0.3   -0.5   -0.9 
 Nondurables less food .......................  134.5   134.9   135.1   134.7   -0.3    0.0   -0.3    0.6   -0.1    0.1 
 Nondurables less food and apparel ...........  138.9   139.9   141.1   140.5   -1.1   -0.6    0.0    4.7   -0.9    2.3 
 Nondurables .................................  147.5   147.8   148.3   148.2    1.1    1.4    0.5    1.9    1.2    1.2 
 Services less rent of shelter (4)............  192.8   193.3   193.5   193.8    2.8    1.7    1.0    2.1    2.2    1.6 
 Services less medical care services .........  180.0   180.5   180.5   180.9    3.2    2.5    2.3    2.0    2.9    2.1 
 Energy ......................................  100.1    99.0    98.8    98.8   -5.6   -6.8   -5.4   -5.1   -6.2   -5.2 
 All items less energy .......................  172.5   173.0   173.2   173.3    2.6    2.1    2.1    1.9    2.4    2.0 
  All items less food and energy .............  175.0   175.6   175.7   175.8    2.6    2.1    1.8    1.8    2.3    1.8 
   Commodities less food and energy                                                                                     
       commodities ...........................  143.5   144.4   144.4   143.8    0.8    1.4   -0.3    0.8    1.1    0.3 
    Energy commodities .......................   88.4    86.2    86.2    85.8  -13.0  -10.7   -9.0  -11.3  -11.9  -10.1 
   Services less energy services .............  192.8   193.1   193.4   193.8    3.4    2.5    3.0    2.1    3.0    2.5 

   1 Not seasonally adjusted.
   2 Indexes on a December 1997=100 base.
   3 This index series was calculated using a Laspeyres estimator.  All other item stratum index series converted to a
 geometric means estimator in January, 1999.
   4 Indexes on a December 1982=100 base.
   5 Indexes on a December 1988=100 base.
 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                                  Feb.1999 from--      Jan.1999 from--  
                                               sched-                                                                      
                                                 ule   Nov.   Dec.   Jan.   Feb.                                           
                                                 (1)   1998   1998   1999   1999   Feb.   Dec.   Jan.   Jan.   Nov.   Dec. 
                                                                                   1998   1998   1999   1998   1998   1998 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                           
 U.S. city average ...........................   M    164.0  163.9  164.3  164.5    1.6    0.4    0.1    1.7    0.2    0.2 
                                                                                                                           
            Region and area size(2)                                                                                        
                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                           
 Northeast urban .............................   M    171.2  171.2  171.4  171.6    1.5    0.2    0.1    1.5    0.1    0.1 
   Size A -  More than 1,500,000 .............   M    172.2  172.2  172.5  172.4    1.4    0.1   -0.1    1.8    0.2    0.2 
   Size B/C  50,000 to 1,500,000 (3)..........   M    102.6  102.5  102.6  103.0    1.6    0.5    0.4    1.0    0.0    0.1 
                                                                                                                           
 Midwest urban ...............................   M    160.1  159.8  160.4  160.5    1.6    0.4    0.1    1.8    0.2    0.4 
   Size A   - More than 1,500,000 ............   M    161.3  161.0  161.6  161.8    1.8    0.5    0.1    2.0    0.2    0.4 
   Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 (3).........   M    102.4  102.3  102.6  102.6    1.0    0.3    0.0    1.4    0.2    0.3 
   Size D -  Nonmetropolitan  (less than                                                                                   
       50,000) ...............................   M    154.7  155.0  155.5  155.6    1.9    0.4    0.1    1.7    0.5    0.3 
                                                                                                                           
 South urban .................................   M    159.6  159.6  159.9  160.0    1.4    0.3    0.1    1.5    0.2    0.2 
   Size A -  More than 1,500,000 .............   M    158.6  158.3  158.9  158.9    1.4    0.4    0.0    1.5    0.2    0.4 
   Size B/C -  50,000 to 1,500,000 (3)........   M    102.8  102.8  102.9  103.0    1.4    0.2    0.1    1.4    0.1    0.1 
   Size D -  Nonmetropolitan  (less than                                                                                   
       50,000) ...............................   M    160.0  160.4  160.8  160.9    1.9    0.3    0.1    2.1    0.5    0.2 
                                                                                                                           
 West urban ..................................   M    165.8  165.8  166.4  166.9    2.3    0.7    0.3    2.1    0.4    0.4 
   Size A   - More than 1,500,000 ............   M    166.5  166.5  167.3  167.8    2.6    0.8    0.3    2.4    0.5    0.5 
   Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 (3).........   M    103.5  103.4  103.6  103.8    1.5    0.4    0.2    1.3    0.1    0.2 
                                                                                                                           
                 Size classes                                                                                              
                                                                                                                           
   A (4)......................................   M    148.5  148.4  148.9  149.0    1.8    0.4    0.1    2.0    0.3    0.3 
   B/C (3)....................................   M    102.8  102.7  102.9  103.0    1.3    0.3    0.1    1.3    0.1    0.2 
   D .........................................   M    159.9  160.2  160.6  160.7    1.8    0.3    0.1    1.8    0.4    0.2 
                                                                                                                           
            Selected local areas(5)                                                                                        
                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                           
 Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI ..............   M    165.4  165.1  166.1  166.4    2.0    0.8    0.2    2.0    0.4    0.6 
 Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA .....   M    163.4  163.5  164.2  164.6    2.2    0.7    0.2    2.0    0.5    0.4 
 New York-Northern N.J.-Long Island,                                                                                       
     NY-NJ-CT-PA .............................   M    174.7  174.7  175.0  175.1    1.4    0.2    0.1    1.7    0.2    0.2 
                                                                                                                           
 Boston-Brockton-Nashua, MA-NH-ME-CT .........   1    173.3      -  174.1      -      -      -      -    1.7    0.5      - 
 Cleveland-Akron, OH .........................   1    160.8      -  160.6      -      -      -      -    1.5   -0.1      - 
 Dallas-Fort Worth, TX .......................   1    154.0      -  155.0      -      -      -      -    1.9    0.6      - 
 Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV (6)........   1    102.4      -  102.8      -      -      -      -    1.8    0.4      - 
                                                                                                                           
 Atlanta, GA .................................   2        -  161.6      -  161.9    1.5    0.2      -      -      -      - 
 Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, MI .................   2        -  161.2      -  161.2    1.7    0.0      -      -      -      - 
 Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX ..............   2        -  146.1      -  146.6    0.3    0.3      -      -      -      - 
 Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL ...................   2        -  161.1      -  161.4    0.7    0.2      -      -      -      - 
 Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City,                                                                                    
     PA-NJ-DE-MD .............................   2        -  169.0      -  168.6    1.0   -0.2      -      -      -      - 
 San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA ..........   2        -  167.4      -  169.4    3.8    1.2      -      -      -      - 
 Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA ................   2        -  169.4      -  170.6    2.5    0.7      -      -      -      - 

   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 Indexes on a December 1986=100 base.
   5 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.
   6 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,                      Feb. 1999 from-    percent change from- 
                     CPI-W                       December                                                               
                                                   1998       Jan.      Feb.                                            
                                                              1999      1999     Feb.     Jan.   Nov. to Dec. to Jan. to
                                                                                 1998     1999     Dec.    Jan.    Feb. 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                        
             Expenditure category                                                                                       
                                                                                                                        
 All items ...................................    100.000     161.0     161.1      1.6      0.1     0.2     0.2     0.0 
 All items (1967=100) ........................          -     479.7     479.8        -        -       -       -       - 
                                                                                                                        
  Food and beverages .........................     18.011     163.1     163.0      2.4     -0.1     0.1     0.4     0.1 
   Food ......................................     16.966     162.8     162.6      2.4     -0.1     0.0     0.5     0.1 
    Food at home .............................     10.832     163.1     162.6      2.3     -0.3    -0.1     0.6     0.1 
     Cereals and bakery products .............      1.689     184.0     183.5      2.3     -0.3     0.1     0.8    -0.4 
     Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ..........      3.055     146.0     146.7     -0.3      0.5    -0.3    -0.8     1.0 
     Dairy and related products (1)...........      1.193     161.1     162.2     10.0      0.7     1.2     2.4     0.7 
     Fruits and vegetables ...................      1.492     207.3     199.3      3.6     -3.9    -0.1     2.6    -1.4 
     Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage                                                                                
         materials ...........................      1.184     132.5     133.4     -0.1      0.7    -0.3     0.6     0.2 
     Other food at home ......................      2.220     152.4     152.6      2.8      0.1    -0.4    -0.2     0.1 
      Sugar and sweets .......................       .420     151.8     151.3      1.2     -0.3     0.3    -0.1    -0.2 
      Fats and oils ..........................       .354     150.1     150.6      6.5      0.3    -1.9    -1.8     0.2 
      Other foods ............................      1.446     167.7     168.1      2.4      0.2    -0.2     0.2     0.2 
       Other miscellaneous foods (1) (2)......       .355     104.2     105.9      5.4      1.6     0.0    -0.7     1.6 
    Food away from home (1)...................      6.133     163.5     163.8      2.6      0.2     0.2     0.3     0.2 
     Other food away from home (1) (2)........       .216     103.6     103.7      3.4      0.1     0.0     0.2     0.1 
   Alcoholic beverages .......................      1.045     166.5     167.6      2.3      0.7     0.3     0.1     0.5 
                                                                                                                        
  Housing ....................................     36.685     158.1     158.4      2.1      0.2     0.2     0.0     0.1 
   Shelter ...................................     27.496     179.3     179.9      3.0      0.3     0.2     0.1     0.2 
    Rent of primary residence (3).............      8.500     174.9     175.3      3.4      0.2     0.3     0.2     0.2 
    Lodging away from home (2) (3)............      1.379     107.1     110.3      1.6      3.0    -0.7    -2.1    -0.5 
    Owners' equivalent rent of primary                                                                                  
        residence (3) (4).....................     17.296     173.9     174.2      3.0      0.2     0.2     0.2     0.2 
    Tenants' and household insurance (1) (2)..       .320     100.1     100.4      0.2      0.3     0.0    -0.2     0.3 
   Fuels and utilities .......................      4.850     126.0     125.8     -1.0     -0.2    -0.2    -0.2     0.2 
    Fuels ....................................      3.928     110.4     110.2     -1.8     -0.2    -0.2    -0.3     0.1 
     Fuel oil and other fuels ................       .201      87.1      86.8     -8.7     -0.3    -2.1     0.0    -1.4 
     Gas (piped) and electricity (3)..........      3.727     117.7     117.5     -1.4     -0.2    -0.2    -0.3     0.2 
   Household furnishings and operations ......      4.339     125.0     124.8      0.1     -0.2     0.1    -0.1    -0.3 
                                                                                                                        
  Apparel ....................................      5.199     127.1     128.5     -1.5      1.1    -0.5    -1.1    -0.4 
   Men's and boys' apparel ...................      1.474     128.1     129.9     -0.2      1.4    -0.5    -0.7     0.8 
   Women's and girls' apparel ................      1.948     116.4     118.8     -2.9      2.1    -0.4    -1.9    -0.9 
   Infants' and toddlers' apparel (1).........       .344     130.8     127.2      3.3     -2.8    -1.4    -0.1    -2.8 
   Footwear ..................................      1.057     126.1     125.4     -1.6     -0.6    -0.5    -0.9    -1.2 
                                                                                                                        
  Transportation .............................     19.166     139.1     138.3     -1.8     -0.6    -0.5    -0.1    -0.4 
   Private transportation ....................     18.109     136.5     135.6     -2.0     -0.7    -0.5    -0.2    -0.5 
    New and used motor vehicles (2)...........      9.250     100.6      99.9     -0.3     -0.7    -0.2    -0.5    -0.9 
     New vehicles ............................      5.224     145.5     145.0     -0.3     -0.3     0.1     0.1    -0.5 
     Used cars and trucks (1).................      3.216     151.8     149.6     -0.2     -1.4    -0.6    -1.6    -1.4 
    Motor fuel ...............................      3.066      85.0      83.5    -11.3     -1.8    -2.7     0.2    -0.6 
     Gasoline (all types) ....................      3.045      84.5      83.0    -11.3     -1.8    -2.7     0.2    -0.5 
    Motor vehicle parts and equipment ........       .682     100.6     100.5     -0.4     -0.1    -0.2     0.0    -0.2 
    Motor vehicle maintenance and repair .....      1.690     171.2     171.8      3.2      0.4     0.2     0.2     0.2 
   Public transportation (1)..................      1.056     186.8     189.1      0.6      1.2     0.5     0.9     1.2 
                                                                                                                        
  Medical care ...............................      4.672     245.8     246.9      3.4      0.4     0.2     0.3     0.2 
   Medical care commodities ..................       .926     222.4     223.2      3.6      0.4     0.4     0.0     0.2 
   Medical care services .....................      3.746     251.0     252.3      3.4      0.5     0.2     0.4     0.2 
    Professional services (3).................      2.415     227.3     228.3      3.3      0.4     0.3     0.3     0.1 
    Hospital and related services (3).........      1.114     290.4     292.4      3.9      0.7     0.2     0.8     0.4 
                                                                                                                        
  Recreation (2)..............................      5.925     101.2     101.3      0.6      0.1     0.1     0.4    -0.2 
   Video and audio (1) (2)....................      1.951     101.3     101.4      0.2      0.1     0.1     0.4    -0.6 
                                                                                                                        
  Education and communication (2).............      5.361     101.2     101.2      1.4      0.0    -0.2     0.3     0.2 
   Education (2)..............................      2.478     105.1     105.5      5.1      0.4     0.4     0.4     0.8 
    Educational books and supplies ...........       .200     260.8     263.9      5.8      1.2     0.4    -0.6     1.2 
    Tuition, other school fees, and childcare       2.278     296.6     297.8      5.0      0.4     0.4     0.4     0.8 
   Communication (1) (2)......................      2.883      98.1      97.7     -1.6     -0.4    -0.7     0.3    -0.4 
    Information and information processing (1)                                                                          
        (2)...................................      2.733      97.8      97.4     -1.9     -0.4    -0.7     0.1    -0.4 
     Telephone services (1) (2)...............      2.519     100.8     100.5      0.5     -0.3    -0.8     0.4    -0.3 
     Information and information processing                                                                             
         other than telephone services (1) (5)       .213      35.0      34.4    -24.9     -1.7    -1.6    -2.8    -1.7 
      Personal computers and peripheral                                                                                 
          equipment (1) (2)...................       .120      61.1      59.3    -34.9     -2.9    -2.0    -4.5    -2.9 
                                                                                                                        
  Other goods and services ...................      4.981     259.2     258.3     12.0     -0.3     5.8     2.5    -0.2 
   Tobacco and smoking products ..............      1.694     354.5     348.9     33.6     -1.6    18.7     6.4    -1.3 
   Personal care (1)..........................      3.287     159.1     159.6      3.0      0.3     0.1     0.5     0.3 
    Personal care products (1)................       .838     150.7     150.8      2.2      0.1    -0.1     0.7     0.1 
    Personal care services (1)................       .975     169.1     169.6      3.1      0.3     0.4     0.3     0.3 
    Miscellaneous personal services ..........      1.253     239.1     240.8      4.2      0.7     0.4     0.5     0.4 
                                                                                                                        
          Commodity and service group                                                                                   
                                                                                                                        
 Commodities .................................     46.764     142.5     142.2      0.6     -0.2     0.3     0.2    -0.3 
  Food and beverages .........................     18.011     163.1     163.0      2.4     -0.1     0.1     0.4     0.1 
  Commodities less food and beverages ........     28.753     130.4     129.9     -0.5     -0.4     0.5     0.1    -0.5 
   Nondurables less food and beverages .......     15.564     132.0     131.8      0.2     -0.2     0.7     0.4    -0.5 
    Apparel ..................................      5.199     127.1     128.5     -1.5      1.1    -0.5    -1.1    -0.4 
    Nondurables less food, beverages, and                                                                               
        apparel ..............................     10.365     139.2     138.2      1.1     -0.7     1.4     1.2    -0.5 
   Durables ..................................     13.189     126.9     126.1     -1.3     -0.6    -0.1    -0.4    -0.7 
 Services ....................................     53.236     183.0     183.5      2.5      0.3     0.2     0.1     0.2 
  Rent of shelter (4).........................     27.175     172.7     173.2      3.0      0.3     0.3     0.0     0.2 
  Transportation services ....................      6.800     186.4     186.8      0.8      0.2     0.1     0.1     0.3 
  Other services .............................     10.144     217.1     217.7      3.1      0.3     0.0     0.5     0.2 
                                                                                                                        
                Special indexes                                                                                         
                                                                                                                        
 All items less food .........................     83.034     160.5     160.6      1.4      0.1     0.2     0.1    -0.1 
 All items less shelter ......................     72.504     155.9     155.8      1.1     -0.1     0.3     0.2    -0.1 
 All items less medical care .................     95.328     157.1     157.1      1.5      0.0     0.2     0.2    -0.1 
 Commodities less food .......................     29.798     131.8     131.3     -0.4     -0.4     0.5     0.1    -0.5 
 Nondurables less food .......................     16.609     134.1     134.0      0.4     -0.1     0.5     0.4    -0.5 
 Nondurables less food and apparel ...........     11.410     140.9     140.0      1.2     -0.6     1.3     0.9    -0.4 
 Nondurables .................................     33.575     147.8     147.7      1.4     -0.1     0.3     0.3    -0.1 
 Services less rent of shelter (4)............     26.061     171.9     172.3      1.8      0.2     0.2     0.1     0.1 
 Services less medical care services .........     49.490     177.3     177.8      2.4      0.3     0.2     0.1     0.2 
 Energy ......................................      6.994      97.0      96.1     -6.2     -0.9    -1.3    -0.1    -0.2 
 All items less energy .......................     93.006     169.8     170.0      2.2      0.1     0.3     0.2     0.0 
  All items less food and energy .............     76.040     171.6     171.9      2.2      0.2     0.4     0.1     0.0 
   Commodities less food and energy                                                                                     
       commodities ...........................     26.531     144.0     143.7      1.1     -0.2     0.8     0.0    -0.5 
    Energy commodities .......................      3.267      85.2      83.8    -11.1     -1.6    -2.6     0.2    -0.7 
   Services less energy services .............     49.509     190.3     190.9      2.7      0.3     0.2     0.2     0.2 
 Purchasing power of the consumer dollar .....          -    $ .621    $ .621        -        -       -       -       - 
 Purchasing power of the consumer dollar - old                                                                          
     base ....................................          -    $ .208    $ .208        -        -       -       -       - 

   1 Not seasonally adjusted.
   2 Indexes on a December 1997=100 base.
   3 This index series was calculated using a Laspeyres estimator.  All other item stratum index series converted to a
 geometric means estimator in January, 1999.
   4 Indexes on a December 1984=100 base
   5 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--   
                                                 Nov.    Dec.    Jan.    Feb.                                           
                                                 1998    1998    1999    1999                                           
                                                                                 May   Aug.   Nov.   Feb.   Aug.   Feb. 
                                                                                1998   1998   1998   1999   1998   1999 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                        
             Expenditure category                                                                                       
                                                                                                                        
 All items ...................................  160.7   161.0   161.3   161.3    1.8    1.5    1.8    1.5    1.6    1.6 
                                                                                                                        
  Food and beverages .........................  162.1   162.2   162.9   163.1    2.0    2.3    2.8    2.5    2.1    2.6 
   Food ......................................  161.7   161.7   162.5   162.7    2.3    2.3    2.8    2.5    2.3    2.6 
    Food at home .............................  161.6   161.5   162.4   162.6    2.3    2.0    2.8    2.5    2.2    2.6 
     Cereals and bakery products .............  182.5   182.6   184.0   183.3    2.5    3.4    1.5    1.8    2.9    1.7 
     Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ..........  146.7   146.2   145.1   146.5   -1.1    1.9   -1.6   -0.5    0.4   -1.1 
     Dairy and related products (1)...........  155.5   157.4   161.1   162.2    1.1    6.4   15.2   18.4    3.7   16.8 
     Fruits and vegetables ...................  200.1   199.9   205.0   202.1   16.1   -6.4    2.0    4.1    4.2    3.0 
     Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage                                                                                
         materials ...........................  131.9   131.5   132.3   132.5   -3.9   -1.2    2.8    1.8   -2.5    2.3 
     Other food at home ......................  153.1   152.5   152.2   152.4    1.4    7.2    4.8   -1.8    4.2    1.5 
      Sugar and sweets .......................  150.9   151.3   151.2   150.9   -0.5    3.5    1.6    0.0    1.5    0.8 
      Fats and oils ..........................  155.5   152.6   149.8   150.1    0.3   25.0   18.0  -13.2   12.0    1.2 
      Other foods ............................  167.6   167.2   167.5   167.8    2.2    4.4    2.7    0.5    3.3    1.6 
       Other miscellaneous foods (1) (2)......  104.9   104.9   104.2   105.9    4.0    8.1    5.5    3.9    6.1    4.7 
    Food away from home (1)...................  162.6   163.0   163.5   163.8    2.5    2.0    3.0    3.0    2.3    3.0 
     Other food away from home (1) (2)........  103.4   103.4   103.6   103.7    1.2    6.5    4.8    1.2    3.8    3.0 
   Alcoholic beverages .......................  166.0   166.5   166.7   167.5    0.2    2.7    2.7    3.7    1.5    3.2 
                                                                                                                        
  Housing ....................................  157.9   158.2   158.2   158.4    2.9    1.8    2.6    1.3    2.3    1.9 
   Shelter ...................................  178.9   179.2   179.3   179.7    3.5    2.8    4.1    1.8    3.1    3.0 
    Rent of primary residence (3).............  174.0   174.5   174.9   175.3    3.3    3.6    3.8    3.0    3.5    3.4 
    Lodging away from home (2) (3)............  104.8   104.1   101.9   101.4    6.6   -1.6   15.9  -12.4    2.4    0.8 
    Owners' equivalent rent of primary                                                                                  
        residence (3) (4).....................  173.1   173.5   173.8   174.2    3.4    3.1    3.1    2.6    3.2    2.8 
    Tenants' and household insurance (1) (2)..  100.3   100.3   100.1   100.4   -2.0   -1.2    3.7    0.4   -1.6    2.0 
   Fuels and utilities .......................  127.0   126.8   126.5   126.7    1.6   -3.1   -1.6   -0.9   -0.8   -1.3 
    Fuels ....................................  110.8   110.6   110.3   110.4    1.4   -4.2   -2.8   -1.4   -1.4   -2.1 
     Fuel oil and other fuels ................   87.1    85.3    85.3    84.1   -1.3   -7.6  -12.3  -13.1   -4.5  -12.7 
     Gas (piped) and electricity (3)..........  118.6   118.4   118.1   118.3    1.7   -4.2   -2.0   -1.0   -1.3   -1.5 
   Household furnishings and operations ......  125.2   125.3   125.2   124.8    1.0    0.6    0.0   -1.3    0.8   -0.6 
                                                                                                                        
  Apparel ....................................  132.0   131.4   129.9   129.4    0.0    2.1    0.0   -7.6    1.1   -3.9 
   Men's and boys' apparel ...................  131.5   130.9   130.0   131.1    0.0    0.6    0.0   -1.2    0.3   -0.6 
   Women's and girls' apparel ................  124.0   123.5   121.1   120.0    1.3    3.9   -3.5  -12.3    2.6   -8.0 
   Infants' and toddlers' apparel (1).........  132.7   130.9   130.8   127.2   14.7   -7.3   27.0  -15.6    3.1    3.6 
   Footwear ..................................  129.5   128.8   127.7   126.2   -1.9    6.4   -0.6   -9.8    2.2   -5.3 
                                                                                                                        
  Transportation .............................  140.1   139.4   139.2   138.7   -2.2   -0.6   -0.9   -3.9   -1.4   -2.4 
   Private transportation ....................  137.7   137.0   136.7   136.0   -2.3   -0.9   -0.3   -4.8   -1.6   -2.6 
    New and used motor vehicles (2)...........  101.3   101.1   100.6    99.7    0.4    2.4    2.0   -6.2    1.4   -2.2 
     New vehicles ............................  144.6   144.7   144.8   144.1   -1.4    2.5   -1.4   -1.4    0.6   -1.4 
     Used cars and trucks (1).................  155.2   154.3   151.8   149.6    3.8    2.9    7.6  -13.7    3.4   -3.6 
    Motor fuel ...............................   88.7    86.3    86.5    86.0  -13.3  -11.8   -8.1  -11.6  -12.6   -9.9 
     Gasoline (all types) ....................   88.2    85.8    86.0    85.6  -14.1  -11.9   -7.8  -11.3  -13.0   -9.5 
    Motor vehicle parts and equipment ........  100.6   100.4   100.4   100.2   -1.2    1.2    0.0   -1.6    0.0   -0.8 
    Motor vehicle maintenance and repair .....  170.6   170.9   171.2   171.6    1.9    3.4    4.8    2.4    2.7    3.6 
   Public transportation (1)..................  184.2   185.1   186.8   189.1   -1.1    3.2   -9.6   11.1    1.1    0.2 
                                                                                                                        
  Medical care ...............................  244.6   245.2   245.9   246.4    4.1    3.9    2.8    3.0    4.0    2.9 
   Medical care commodities ..................  221.8   222.6   222.6   223.0    5.1    3.9    3.3    2.2    4.5    2.7 
   Medical care services .....................  249.5   250.1   251.0   251.5    3.7    4.0    2.6    3.2    3.8    2.9 
    Professional services (3).................  226.4   227.0   227.7   228.0    3.7    3.5    3.1    2.9    3.6    3.0 
    Hospital and related services (3).........  287.1   287.6   289.9   291.2    2.9    4.8    2.3    5.8    3.8    4.0 
                                                                                                                        
  Recreation (2)..............................  100.7   100.8   101.2   101.0    1.2    0.4   -0.4    1.2    0.8    0.4 
   Video and audio (1) (2)....................  101.1   101.2   101.6   101.0    0.8    0.0    0.4   -0.4    0.4    0.0 
                                                                                                                        
  Education and communication (2).............  101.1   100.9   101.2   101.4    3.6   -1.6    2.4    1.2    1.0    1.8 
   Education (2)..............................  104.3   104.7   105.1   105.9    6.1    3.6    4.3    6.3    4.8    5.3 
    Educational books and supplies ...........  259.4   260.5   259.0   262.1    7.1    0.6   11.4    4.2    3.8    7.7 
    Tuition, other school fees, and childcare   293.1   294.2   295.5   297.8    5.9    3.8    4.1    6.6    4.9    5.3 
   Communication (1) (2)......................   98.5    97.8    98.1    97.7    1.6   -5.1    0.4   -3.2   -1.8   -1.4 
    Information and information processing (1)                                                                          
        (2)...................................   98.4    97.7    97.8    97.4    1.6   -5.5    0.4   -4.0   -2.0   -1.8 
     Telephone services (1) (2)...............  101.2   100.4   100.8   100.5    4.9   -2.7    2.8   -2.7    1.0    0.0 
     Information and information processing                                                                             
         other than telephone services (1) (5)   36.6    36.0    35.0    34.4  -25.2  -30.5  -21.6  -22.0  -27.9  -21.8 
      Personal computers and peripheral                                                                                 
          equipment (1) (2)...................   65.3    64.0    61.1    59.3  -34.7  -42.9  -29.2  -32.0  -38.9  -30.6 
                                                                                                                        
  Other goods and services ...................  239.2   253.0   259.3   258.7    6.6    3.6    4.1   36.8    5.1   19.4 
   Tobacco and smoking products ..............  280.1   332.6   353.8   349.3   12.0    9.2    7.9  141.8   10.6   61.6 
   Personal care (1)..........................  158.1   158.3   159.1   159.6    4.5    1.3    2.3    3.8    2.9    3.1 
    Personal care products (1)................  149.8   149.6   150.7   150.8    8.1   -2.4    0.5    2.7    2.7    1.6 
    Personal care services (1)................  168.0   168.6   169.1   169.6    3.0    3.2    2.4    3.9    3.1    3.1 
    Miscellaneous personal services ..........  237.4   238.4   239.5   240.4    3.3    4.0    4.5    5.2    3.7    4.8 
                                                                                                                        
          Commodity and service group                                                                                   
                                                                                                                        
 Commodities .................................  142.2   142.6   142.9   142.5    0.3    0.6    0.8    0.8    0.4    0.8 
  Food and beverages .........................  162.1   162.2   162.9   163.1    2.0    2.3    2.8    2.5    2.1    2.6 
  Commodities less food and beverages ........  130.3   130.9   131.0   130.3   -0.9   -0.3   -0.6    0.0   -0.6   -0.3 
   Nondurables less food and beverages .......  131.9   132.8   133.3   132.6   -0.6    0.0   -0.6    2.1   -0.3    0.8 
    Apparel ..................................  132.0   131.4   129.9   129.4    0.0    2.1    0.0   -7.6    1.1   -3.9 
    Nondurables less food, beverages, and                                                                               
        apparel ..............................  136.3   138.2   139.8   139.1   -2.0   -0.9   -0.9    8.5   -1.4    3.7 
   Durables ..................................  127.3   127.2   126.7   125.8   -0.6    0.6   -0.3   -4.6    0.0   -2.5 
 Services ....................................  182.6   182.9   183.1   183.5    3.2    1.8    2.7    2.0    2.5    2.3 
  Rent of shelter (4).........................  172.3   172.8   172.8   173.1    3.6    2.9    4.0    1.9    3.2    3.0 
  Transportation services ....................  185.5   185.7   185.9   186.5    0.9    0.6   -0.6    2.2    0.8    0.8 
  Other services .............................  216.3   216.4   217.4   217.8    4.4    1.9    3.2    2.8    3.1    3.0 
                                                                                                                        
                Special indexes                                                                                         
                                                                                                                        
 All items less food .........................  160.1   160.5   160.7   160.6    1.8    1.0    1.5    1.3    1.4    1.4 
 All items less shelter ......................  155.5   155.9   156.2   156.0    1.3    0.8    0.8    1.3    1.0    1.0 
 All items less medical care .................  156.7   157.0   157.3   157.2    1.6    1.3    1.8    1.3    1.4    1.5 
 Commodities less food .......................  131.9   132.5   132.6   131.9   -0.9   -0.3   -0.6    0.0   -0.6   -0.3 
 Nondurables less food .......................  134.0   134.7   135.3   134.6   -0.3   -0.6    0.3    1.8   -0.4    1.0 
 Nondurables less food and apparel ...........  138.2   140.0   141.3   140.8   -1.4   -0.9   -0.3    7.7   -1.1    3.6 
 Nondurables .................................  147.1   147.6   148.1   148.0    0.8    1.7    0.8    2.5    1.2    1.6 
 Services less rent of shelter (4)............  171.6   171.9   172.1   172.3    3.1    1.7    0.9    1.6    2.4    1.3 
 Services less medical care services .........  177.0   177.4   177.5   177.8    3.5    2.1    2.5    1.8    2.8    2.2 
 Energy ......................................   99.3    98.0    97.9    97.7   -5.3   -7.9   -5.1   -6.3   -6.6   -5.7 
 All items less energy .......................  169.2   169.7   170.1   170.1    2.2    2.2    2.4    2.1    2.2    2.3 
  All items less food and energy .............  171.3   171.9   172.1   172.1    2.4    2.1    2.4    1.9    2.3    2.1 
   Commodities less food and energy                                                                                     
       commodities ...........................  143.4   144.6   144.6   143.9    0.8    1.4    0.8    1.4    1.1    1.1 
    Energy commodities .......................   88.6    86.3    86.5    85.9  -12.6  -11.5   -8.5  -11.6  -12.0  -10.1 
   Services less energy services .............  190.0   190.3   190.6   191.0    3.3    2.6    3.0    2.1    2.9    2.6 

   1 Not seasonally adjusted.
   2 Indexes on a December 1997=100 base.
   3 This index series was calculated using a Laspeyres estimator.  All other item stratum index series converted to a
 geometric means estimator in January, 1999.
   4 Indexes on a December 1984=100 base
   5 Indexes on a December 1988=100 base.
 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                                  Feb.1999 from--      Jan.1999 from--  
                                               sched-                                                                      
                                                 ule   Nov.   Dec.   Jan.   Feb.                                           
                                                 (1)   1998   1998   1999   1999   Feb.   Dec.   Jan.   Jan.   Nov.   Dec. 
                                                                                   1998   1998   1999   1998   1998   1998 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                           
 U.S. city average ...........................   M    160.7  160.7  161.0  161.1    1.6    0.2    0.1    1.6    0.2    0.2 
                                                                                                                           
            Region and area size(2)                                                                                        
                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                           
 Northeast urban .............................   M    168.2  168.2  168.4  168.3    1.4    0.1   -0.1    1.6    0.1    0.1 
   Size A -  More than 1,500,000 .............   M    168.2  168.2  168.5  168.1    1.4   -0.1   -0.2    1.9    0.2    0.2 
   Size B/C  50,000 to 1,500,000 (3)..........   M    102.2  102.3  102.4  102.6    1.5    0.3    0.2    1.1    0.2    0.1 
                                                                                                                           
 Midwest urban ...............................   M    156.2  156.0  156.6  156.5    1.5    0.3   -0.1    1.8    0.3    0.4 
   Size A   - More than 1,500,000 ............   M    156.7  156.5  157.1  157.2    1.9    0.4    0.1    2.1    0.3    0.4 
   Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 (3).........   M    102.1  102.0  102.3  102.2    0.8    0.2   -0.1    1.2    0.2    0.3 
   Size D -  Nonmetropolitan  (less than                                                                                   
       50,000) ...............................   M    152.9  153.3  153.6  153.4    1.7    0.1   -0.1    1.8    0.5    0.2 
                                                                                                                           
 South urban .................................   M    157.7  157.8  157.9  158.0    1.5    0.1    0.1    1.3    0.1    0.1 
   Size A -  More than 1,500,000 .............   M    156.2  156.0  156.4  156.4    1.4    0.3    0.0    1.3    0.1    0.3 
   Size B/C -  50,000 to 1,500,000 (3)........   M    102.4  102.5  102.5  102.6    1.5    0.1    0.1    1.3    0.1    0.0 
   Size D -  Nonmetropolitan  (less than                                                                                   
       50,000) ...............................   M    160.6  160.8  161.1  161.0    1.9    0.1   -0.1    2.2    0.3    0.2 
                                                                                                                           
 West urban ..................................   M    161.8  161.8  162.4  162.7    2.1    0.6    0.2    1.9    0.4    0.4 
   Size A   - More than 1,500,000 ............   M    160.7  160.8  161.6  161.9    2.5    0.7    0.2    2.3    0.6    0.5 
   Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 (3).........   M    103.3  103.3  103.4  103.6    1.4    0.3    0.2    1.2    0.1    0.1 
                                                                                                                           
                 Size classes                                                                                              
                                                                                                                           
   A (4)......................................   M    147.0  146.9  147.4  147.4    1.8    0.3    0.0    1.9    0.3    0.3 
   B/C (3)....................................   M    102.4  102.5  102.6  102.6    1.3    0.1    0.0    1.3    0.2    0.1 
   D .........................................   M    159.1  159.2  159.6  159.4    1.7    0.1   -0.1    1.9    0.3    0.3 
                                                                                                                           
            Selected local areas(5)                                                                                        
                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                           
 Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI ..............   M    159.9  159.6  160.5  160.6    2.0    0.6    0.1    2.0    0.4    0.6 
 Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA .....   M    157.0  157.2  157.8  158.1    2.0    0.6    0.2    1.7    0.5    0.4 
 New York-Northern N.J.-Long Island,                                                                                       
     NY-NJ-CT-PA .............................   M    170.5  170.5  170.8  170.6    1.4    0.1   -0.1    1.8    0.2    0.2 
                                                                                                                           
 Boston-Brockton-Nashua, MA-NH-ME-CT .........   1    171.5      -  172.2      -      -      -      -    1.7    0.4      - 
 Cleveland-Akron, OH .........................   1    152.8      -  152.7      -      -      -      -    1.8   -0.1      - 
 Dallas-Fort Worth, TX .......................   1    153.8      -  154.6      -      -      -      -    1.6    0.5      - 
 Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV (6)........   1    102.2      -  102.7      -      -      -      -    1.9    0.5      - 
                                                                                                                           
 Atlanta, GA .................................   2        -  158.8      -  159.1    1.6    0.2      -      -      -      - 
 Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, MI .................   2        -  155.9      -  155.8    1.9   -0.1      -      -      -      - 
 Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX ..............   2        -  144.8      -  145.0    0.2    0.1      -      -      -      - 
 Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL ...................   2        -  158.7      -  158.8    1.0    0.1      -      -      -      - 
 Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City,                                                                                    
     PA-NJ-DE-MD .............................   2        -  168.5      -  167.8    1.0   -0.4      -      -      -      - 
 San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA ..........   2        -  163.7      -  165.7    3.8    1.2      -      -      -      - 
 Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA ................   2        -  164.9      -  166.0    2.3    0.7      -      -      -      - 

   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 Indexes on a December 1986=100 base.
   5 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.
   6 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(LAS).  Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U-XL): U.S. city average, by
 expenditure category and commodity and service group using a Laspeyres Estimator

 (1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)
                                                                                                   
                                                                                                   
                                                                                     Unadjusted    
                                                 Relative        Unadjusted      percent change to 
                                                importance,       indexes         Feb. 1999 from-  
                     CPI-U                       December                                          
                                                   1998                                            
                                                               Jan.      Feb.      Feb.      Jan.  
                                                               1999      1999      1998      1999  
                                                                                                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                   
             Expenditure category                                                                  
                                                                                                   
 All items ...................................     100.000     164.4     164.7       1.7       0.2 
 All items (1967=100) ........................           -     492.5     493.3         -         - 
                                                                                                   
  Food and beverages .........................      16.408     163.9     163.8       2.5      -0.1 
   Food ......................................      15.422     163.6     163.4       2.5      -0.1 
    Food at home .............................       9.691     164.3     163.8       2.4      -0.3 
     Cereals and bakery products .............       1.544     183.9     183.8       2.3      -0.1 
     Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ..........       2.569     146.7     147.3      -0.1       0.4 
     Dairy and related products ..............       1.088     161.1     162.2       9.8       0.7 
     Fruits and vegetables ...................       1.440     208.4     200.4       3.4      -3.8 
     Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage                                                           
         materials ...........................       1.049     133.4     134.4      -0.3       0.7 
     Other food at home ......................       2.002     152.9     153.1       2.7       0.1 
      Sugar and sweets .......................        .377     151.6     151.2       1.1      -0.3 
      Fats and oils ..........................        .309     150.4     150.6       6.4       0.1 
      Other foods ............................       1.316     167.6     168.1       2.4       0.3 
       Other miscellaneous foods  (1).........        .320     104.2     105.8       5.4       1.5 
    Food away from home ......................       5.730     163.6     163.9       2.7       0.2 
     Other food away from home  (1)...........        .175     103.5     103.7       3.3       0.2 
   Alcoholic beverages .......................        .986     167.6     168.6       2.2       0.6 
                                                                                                   
  Housing ....................................      39.828     161.9     162.4       2.3       0.3 
   Shelter ...................................      30.283     184.8     185.6       3.1       0.4 
    Rent of primary residence ................       7.007     175.3     175.6       3.4       0.2 
    Lodging away from home (1)................       2.376     107.7     111.3       1.8       3.3 
    Owners' equivalent rent of primary                                                             
        residence (2).........................      20.529     191.0     191.3       3.1       0.2 
    Tenants' and household insurance  (1).....        .371      99.7     100.1      -0.1       0.4 
   Fuels and utilities .......................       4.735     126.2     126.0      -1.1      -0.2 
    Fuels ....................................       3.801     110.9     110.6      -2.0      -0.3 
     Fuel oil and other fuels ................        .227      86.6      86.2      -9.5      -0.5 
     Gas (piped) and electricity .............       3.574     118.3     118.0      -1.4      -0.3 
   Household furnishings and operations ......       4.810     126.9     126.8       0.6      -0.1 
                                                                                                   
  Apparel ....................................       4.831     128.6     130.9      -0.8       1.8 
   Men's and boys' apparel ...................       1.358     128.5     130.6      -0.2       1.6 
   Women's and girls' apparel ................       1.939     118.8     122.4      -1.5       3.0 
   Infants' and toddlers' apparel ............        .272     130.7     127.0       3.2      -2.8 
   Footwear ..................................        .876     125.8     125.8      -0.6       0.0 
                                                                                                   
  Transportation .............................      16.999     140.4     139.8      -1.6      -0.4 
   Private transportation ....................      15.653     136.7     135.9      -1.8      -0.6 
    New and used motor vehicles (1)...........       7.843     100.6      99.9      -0.3      -0.7 
     New vehicles ............................       4.983     144.4     143.8      -0.4      -0.4 
     Used cars and trucks ....................       1.914     150.7     148.4       0.0      -1.5 
    Motor fuel ...............................       2.493      85.0      83.6     -11.2      -1.6 
     Gasoline (all types) ....................       2.476      84.5      83.1     -11.1      -1.7 
    Motor vehicle parts and equipment ........        .549     101.2     100.9      -0.5      -0.3 
    Motor vehicle maintenance and repair .....       1.624     169.8     170.4       3.0       0.4 
   Public transportation .....................       1.346     189.9     192.6       0.7       1.4 
                                                                                                   
  Medical care ...............................       5.713     246.6     247.7       3.5       0.4 
   Medical care commodities ..................       1.252     226.0     226.9       3.9       0.4 
   Medical care services .....................       4.461     251.3     252.6       3.4       0.5 
    Professional services ....................       2.854     225.8     226.8       3.2       0.4 
    Hospital and related services ............       1.354     294.4     296.2       3.9       0.6 
                                                                                                   
  Recreation (1)..............................       6.120     101.7     102.0       1.3       0.3 
   Video and audio  (1).......................       1.748     101.3     101.5       0.3       0.2 
                                                                                                   
  Education and communication (1).............       5.478     101.0     100.9       1.1      -0.1 
   Education (1)..............................       2.694     105.0     105.3       4.9       0.3 
    Educational books and supplies ...........        .203     258.4     260.9       5.7       1.0 
    Tuition, other school fees, and childcare        2.492     302.4     303.2       4.8       0.3 
   Communication  (1).........................       2.783      97.4      97.0      -2.2      -0.4 
    Information and information processing                                                         
        (1)...................................       2.580      97.0      96.5      -2.6      -0.5 
     Telephone services  (1)..................       2.327     100.7     100.4       0.4      -0.3 
     Information and information processing                                                        
         other than telephone services  (3)...        .253      33.9      33.3     -24.8      -1.8 
      Personal computers and peripheral                                                            
          equipment  (1)......................        .148      61.6      59.8     -34.5      -2.9 
                                                                                                   
  Other goods and services ...................       4.624     255.1     254.8       9.3      -0.1 
   Tobacco and smoking products ..............       1.159     352.9     347.8      33.2      -1.4 
   Personal care .............................       3.465     158.9     159.4       2.8       0.3 
    Personal care products ...................        .742     149.4     149.3       1.8      -0.1 
    Personal care services ...................        .973     168.8     169.4       3.1       0.4 
    Miscellaneous personal services ..........       1.491     239.1     240.9       3.8       0.8 
                                                                                                   
          Commodity and service group                                                              
                                                                                                   
 Commodities .................................      42.109     142.5     142.4       0.6      -0.1 
  Food and beverages .........................      16.408     163.9     163.8       2.5      -0.1 
  Commodities less food and beverages ........      25.702     130.0     129.8      -0.5      -0.2 
   Nondurables less food and beverages .......      14.345     132.0     132.3       0.2       0.2 
    Apparel ..................................       4.831     128.6     130.9      -0.8       1.8 
    Nondurables less food, beverages, and                                                          
        apparel ..............................       9.514     138.8     137.9       0.5      -0.6 
   Durables ..................................      11.356     127.1     126.5      -1.3      -0.5 
 Services ....................................      57.891     186.4     187.0       2.5       0.3 
  Rent of shelter (2).........................      29.912     192.4     193.2       3.0       0.4 
  Transportation services ....................       6.963     188.8     189.4       0.8       0.3 
  Other services .............................      10.768     220.6     221.2       3.2       0.3 
                                                                                                   
                Special indexes                                                                    
                                                                                                   
 All items less food .........................      84.578     164.6     164.9       1.6       0.2 
 All items less shelter ......................      69.717     158.2     158.2       1.2       0.0 
 All items less medical care .................      94.287     159.9     160.1       1.7       0.1 
 Commodities less food .......................      26.688     131.5     131.4      -0.4      -0.1 
 Nondurables less food .......................      15.331     134.1     134.4       0.2       0.2 
 Nondurables less food and apparel ...........      10.500     140.6     139.9       0.7      -0.5 
 Nondurables .................................      30.753     148.0     148.1       1.4       0.1 
 Services less rent of shelter (2)............      27.979     193.4     193.8       1.9       0.2 
 Services less medical care services .........      53.429     180.4     181.0       2.5       0.3 
 Energy ......................................       6.294      98.1      97.3      -5.7      -0.8 
 All items less energy .......................      93.706     173.0     173.4       2.2       0.2 
  All items less food and energy .............      78.284     175.4     175.9       2.2       0.3 
   Commodities less food and energy                                                                
       commodities ...........................      23.967     143.9     144.0       0.9       0.1 
    Energy commodities .......................       2.720      85.2      83.9     -11.0      -1.5 
   Services less energy services .............      54.316     193.3     194.1       2.8       0.4 
 Purchasing power of the consumer dollar                                                           
     (1982-84=$1.00) .........................           -    $ .608    $ .607         -         - 
 Purchasing power of the consumer dollar                                                           
     (1967=$1.00) ............................           -    $ .203    $ .203         -         - 

   1 Indexes on a December 1997=100 base.
   2 Index is on a December 1982=100 base.
   3 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(LAS).  Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W-XL): U.S.
 city average, by expenditure category and commodity and service group using a Laspeyres Estimator

 (1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)
                                                                                                   
                                                                                                   
                                                                                     Unadjusted    
                                                 Relative        Unadjusted      percent change to 
                                                importance,       indexes         Feb. 1999 from-  
                     CPI-W                       December                                          
                                                   1998                                            
                                                               Jan.      Feb.      Feb.      Jan.  
                                                               1999      1999      1998      1999  
                                                                                                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                   
             Expenditure category                                                                  
                                                                                                   
 All items ...................................     100.000     161.1     161.2       1.7       0.1 
 All items (1967=100) ........................           -     479.8     480.1         -         - 
                                                                                                   
  Food and beverages .........................      18.011     163.1     163.1       2.4       0.0 
   Food ......................................      16.966     162.8     162.7       2.5      -0.1 
    Food at home .............................      10.832     163.1     162.6       2.3      -0.3 
     Cereals and bakery products .............       1.689     183.7     183.4       2.2      -0.2 
     Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ..........       3.055     146.3     146.9      -0.2       0.4 
     Dairy and related products ..............       1.193     161.0     162.1      10.0       0.7 
     Fruits and vegetables ...................       1.492     207.2     199.3       3.6      -3.8 
     Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage                                                           
         materials ...........................       1.184     132.3     133.3      -0.2       0.8 
     Other food at home ......................       2.220     152.3     152.5       2.7       0.1 
      Sugar and sweets .......................        .420     151.6     151.1       1.1      -0.3 
      Fats and oils ..........................        .354     150.0     150.2       6.2       0.1 
      Other foods ............................       1.446     167.5     167.9       2.3       0.2 
       Other miscellaneous foods  (1).........        .355     104.2     105.7       5.2       1.4 
    Food away from home ......................       6.133     163.5     163.9       2.7       0.2 
     Other food away from home  (1)...........        .216     103.6     103.7       3.4       0.1 
   Alcoholic beverages .......................       1.045     166.5     167.7       2.3       0.7 
                                                                                                   
  Housing ....................................      36.685     158.1     158.5       2.2       0.3 
   Shelter ...................................      27.496     179.4     180.0       3.1       0.3 
    Rent of primary residence ................       8.500     174.9     175.3       3.4       0.2 
    Lodging away from home (1)................       1.379     107.7     111.0       2.2       3.1 
    Owners' equivalent rent of primary                                                             
        residence (2).........................      17.296     173.9     174.2       3.0       0.2 
    Tenants' and household insurance  (1).....        .320     100.1     100.4       0.2       0.3 
   Fuels and utilities .......................       4.850     126.0     125.8      -1.0      -0.2 
    Fuels ....................................       3.928     110.4     110.2      -1.8      -0.2 
     Fuel oil and other fuels ................        .201      87.1      86.8      -8.7      -0.3 
     Gas (piped) and electricity .............       3.727     117.7     117.5      -1.4      -0.2 
   Household furnishings and operations ......       4.339     125.0     124.9       0.2      -0.1 
                                                                                                   
  Apparel ....................................       5.199     127.8     129.7      -0.5       1.5 
   Men's and boys' apparel ...................       1.474     128.4     130.4       0.2       1.6 
   Women's and girls' apparel ................       1.948     117.4     120.4      -1.6       2.6 
   Infants' and toddlers' apparel ............        .344     131.5     128.0       4.0      -2.7 
   Footwear ..................................       1.057     126.3     126.3      -0.9       0.0 
                                                                                                   
  Transportation .............................      19.166     139.1     138.4      -1.8      -0.5 
   Private transportation ....................      18.109     136.6     135.7      -2.0      -0.7 
    New and used motor vehicles (1)...........       9.250     100.6      99.9      -0.3      -0.7 
     New vehicles ............................       5.224     145.5     144.9      -0.4      -0.4 
     Used cars and trucks ....................       3.216     151.9     149.7      -0.1      -1.4 
    Motor fuel ...............................       3.066      85.0      83.5     -11.3      -1.8 
     Gasoline (all types) ....................       3.045      84.5      83.0     -11.3      -1.8 
    Motor vehicle parts and equipment ........        .682     100.6     100.5      -0.4      -0.1 
    Motor vehicle maintenance and repair .....       1.690     171.1     171.8       3.2       0.4 
   Public transportation .....................       1.056     186.3     188.7       0.4       1.3 
                                                                                                   
  Medical care ...............................       4.672     245.8     247.0       3.5       0.5 
   Medical care commodities ..................        .926     222.6     223.4       3.7       0.4 
   Medical care services .....................       3.746     251.0     252.3       3.4       0.5 
    Professional services ....................       2.415     227.3     228.3       3.3       0.4 
    Hospital and related services ............       1.114     290.4     292.4       3.9       0.7 
                                                                                                   
  Recreation (1)..............................       5.925     101.3     101.4       0.7       0.1 
   Video and audio  (1).......................       1.951     101.2     101.4       0.2       0.2 
                                                                                                   
  Education and communication (1).............       5.361     101.2     101.2       1.4       0.0 
   Education (1)..............................       2.478     105.1     105.5       5.1       0.4 
    Educational books and supplies ...........        .200     260.8     263.5       5.7       1.0 
    Tuition, other school fees, and childcare        2.278     296.6     297.7       5.0       0.4 
   Communication  (1).........................       2.883      98.1      97.7      -1.6      -0.4 
    Information and information processing                                                         
        (1)...................................       2.733      97.8      97.5      -1.8      -0.3 
     Telephone services  (1)..................       2.519     100.8     100.6       0.6      -0.2 
     Information and information processing                                                        
         other than telephone services  (3)...        .213      35.1      34.5     -24.7      -1.7 
      Personal computers and peripheral                                                            
          equipment  (1)......................        .120      61.3      59.4     -34.8      -3.1 
                                                                                                   
  Other goods and services ...................       4.981     258.7     258.0      11.9      -0.3 
   Tobacco and smoking products ..............       1.694     353.1     348.0      33.3      -1.4 
   Personal care .............................       3.287     159.0     159.6       3.0       0.4 
    Personal care products ...................        .838     150.2     150.3       1.8       0.1 
    Personal care services ...................        .975     169.1     169.7       3.2       0.4 
    Miscellaneous personal services ..........       1.253     239.3     241.1       4.3       0.8 
                                                                                                   
          Commodity and service group                                                              
                                                                                                   
 Commodities .................................      46.764     142.6     142.3       0.7      -0.2 
  Food and beverages .........................      18.011     163.1     163.1       2.4       0.0 
  Commodities less food and beverages ........      28.753     130.5     130.1      -0.3      -0.3 
   Nondurables less food and beverages .......      15.564     132.2     132.2       0.5       0.0 
    Apparel ..................................       5.199     127.8     129.7      -0.5       1.5 
    Nondurables less food, beverages, and                                                          
        apparel ..............................      10.365     139.1     138.1       1.0      -0.7 
   Durables ..................................      13.189     126.9     126.2      -1.2      -0.6 
 Services ....................................      53.236     183.1     183.6       2.5       0.3 
  Rent of shelter (2).........................      27.175     172.7     173.3       3.1       0.3 
  Transportation services ....................       6.800     186.4     186.9       0.9       0.3 
  Other services .............................      10.144     217.2     217.8       3.1       0.3 
                                                                                                   
                Special indexes                                                                    
                                                                                                   
 All items less food .........................      83.034     160.6     160.8       1.5       0.1 
 All items less shelter ......................      72.504     156.0     155.9       1.2      -0.1 
 All items less medical care .................      95.328     157.2     157.2       1.6       0.0 
 Commodities less food .......................      29.798     131.9     131.6      -0.2      -0.2 
 Nondurables less food .......................      16.609     134.2     134.3       0.6       0.1 
 Nondurables less food and apparel ...........      11.410     140.8     139.9       1.2      -0.6 
 Nondurables .................................      33.575     147.9     147.9       1.6       0.0 
 Services less rent of shelter (2)............      26.061     171.9     172.3       1.8       0.2 
 Services less medical care services .........      49.490     177.3     177.8       2.4       0.3 
 Energy ......................................       6.994      97.0      96.1      -6.2      -0.9 
 All items less energy .......................      93.006     169.9     170.1       2.3       0.1 
  All items less food and energy .............      76.040     171.7     172.0       2.3       0.2 
   Commodities less food and energy                                                                
       commodities ...........................      26.531     144.1     144.0       1.3      -0.1 
    Energy commodities .......................       3.267      85.2      83.8     -11.1      -1.6 
   Services less energy services .............      49.509     190.4     191.0       2.8       0.3 
 Purchasing power of the consumer dollar                                                           
     (1982-84=$1.00) .........................           -    $ .621    $ .620         -         - 
 Purchasing power of the consumer dollar                                                           
     (1967=$1.00) ............................           -    $ .208    $ .208         -         - 

   1 Indexes on a December 1997=100 base.
   2 Index is on a December 1984=100 base.
   3 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(LAS).  Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U-XL): Selected areas, all items index
 using a Laspeyres Estimator

 (1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)
                                                                                                          
                                                                                                          
                                                                    Indexes             Percent change to 
                                                 Pricing                                 Feb.1999 from--  
                     CPI-U                      schedule                                                  
                                                   (1)                                                    
                                                           Nov.   Dec.   Jan.   Feb.   Nov.   Dec.   Jan. 
                                                           1998   1998   1999   1999   1998   1998   1999 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                          
 U.S. city average ...........................     M      164.0  163.9  164.4  164.7    0.4    0.5    0.2 
                                                                                                          
            Region and area size(2)                                                                       
                                                                                                          
                                                                                                          
 Northeast urban .............................     M      171.2  171.2  171.6  171.7    0.3    0.3    0.1 
   Size A -  More than 1,500,000 .............     M      172.2  172.2  172.6  172.6    0.2    0.2    0.0 
   Size B/C  50,000 to 1,500,000 (3)..........     M      102.6  102.5  102.8  103.0    0.4    0.5    0.2 
                                                                                                          
 Midwest urban ...............................     M      160.1  159.8  160.4  160.6    0.3    0.5    0.1 
   Size A   - More than 1,500,000 ............     M      161.3  161.0  161.6  161.9    0.4    0.6    0.2 
   Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 (3).........     M      102.4  102.3  102.6  102.7    0.3    0.4    0.1 
   Size D -  Nonmetropolitan  (less than                                                                  
       50,000) ...............................     M      154.7  155.0  155.6  155.7    0.6    0.5    0.1 
                                                                                                          
 South urban .................................     M      159.6  159.6  160.0  160.2    0.4    0.4    0.1 
   Size A -  More than 1,500,000 .............     M      158.6  158.3  158.9  159.1    0.3    0.5    0.1 
   Size B/C -  50,000 to 1,500,000 (3)........     M      102.8  102.8  102.9  103.1    0.3    0.3    0.2 
   Size D -  Nonmetropolitan  (less than                                                                  
       50,000) ...............................     M      160.0  160.4  160.9  161.1    0.7    0.4    0.1 
                                                                                                          
 West urban ..................................     M      165.8  165.8  166.5  167.0    0.7    0.7    0.3 
   Size A   - More than 1,500,000 ............     M      166.5  166.5  167.3  167.9    0.8    0.8    0.4 
   Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 (3).........     M      103.5  103.4  103.7  103.9    0.4    0.5    0.2 
                                                                                                          
                 Size classes                                                                             
                                                                                                          
   A (4)......................................     M      148.5  148.4  148.9  149.1    0.4    0.5    0.1 
   B/C (3)....................................     M      102.8  102.7  103.0  103.1    0.3    0.4    0.1 
   D .........................................     M      159.9  160.2  160.6  160.8    0.6    0.4    0.1 
                                                                                                          
             Selected local areas                                                                         
                                                                                                          
                                                                                                          
 Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI ..............     M      165.4  165.1  166.0  166.4    0.6    0.8    0.2 
 Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA .....     M      163.4  163.5  164.2  164.7    0.8    0.7    0.3 
 New York-Northern N.J.-Long Island,                                                                      
     NY-NJ-CT-PA .............................     M      174.7  174.7  175.2  175.4    0.4    0.4    0.1 
                                                                                                          
 Boston-Brockton-Nashua, MA-NH-ME-CT .........     1      173.3      -  174.1      -      -      -      - 
 Cleveland-Akron, OH .........................     1      160.8      -  160.6      -      -      -      - 
 Dallas-Fort Worth, TX .......................     1      154.0      -  155.2      -      -      -      - 
 Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV (5)........     1      102.4      -  102.8      -      -      -      - 
                                                                                                          
 Atlanta, GA .................................     2          -  161.6      -  162.1      -    0.3      - 
 Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, MI .................     2          -  161.2      -  161.3      -    0.1      - 
 Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX ..............     2          -  146.1      -  146.8      -    0.5      - 
 Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL ...................     2          -  161.1      -  161.4      -    0.2      - 
 Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City,                                                                   
     PA-NJ-DE-MD .............................     2          -  169.0      -  168.7      -   -0.2      - 
 San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA ..........     2          -  167.4      -  169.5      -    1.3      - 
 Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA ................     2          -  169.4      -  170.8      -    0.8      - 

   1 Foods, fuels, and several other items priced every month in all areas;  
   most other goods and services priced as indicated:                      
        M - Every month.                                                   
         1 - January, March, May, July, September, and November.            
         2 - February, April, June, August, October, and December.          
   2 Regions defined as the four Census regions.  See map in technical notes.
   3 Indexes on a December 1996=100 base.
   4 Indexes on a December 1986=100 base.
   5 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(LAS).  Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W-XL): Selected
 areas, all items index using a Laspeyres Estimator

 (1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)
                                                                                                          
                                                                                                          
                                                                    Indexes             Percent change to 
                                                 Pricing                                 Feb.1999 from--  
                     CPI-W                      schedule                                                  
                                                   (1)                                                    
                                                           Nov.   Dec.   Jan.   Feb.   Nov.   Dec.   Jan. 
                                                           1998   1998   1999   1999   1998   1998   1999 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                          
 U.S. city average ...........................     M      160.7  160.7  161.1  161.2    0.3    0.3    0.1 
                                                                                                          
            Region and area size(2)                                                                       
                                                                                                          
                                                                                                          
 Northeast urban .............................     M      168.2  168.2  168.5  168.4    0.1    0.1   -0.1 
   Size A -  More than 1,500,000 .............     M      168.2  168.2  168.5  168.3    0.1    0.1   -0.1 
   Size B/C  50,000 to 1,500,000 (3)..........     M      102.2  102.3  102.5  102.7    0.5    0.4    0.2 
                                                                                                          
 Midwest urban ...............................     M      156.2  156.0  156.6  156.6    0.3    0.4    0.0 
   Size A   - More than 1,500,000 ............     M      156.7  156.5  157.1  157.2    0.3    0.4    0.1 
   Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 (3).........     M      102.1  102.0  102.3  102.3    0.2    0.3    0.0 
   Size D -  Nonmetropolitan  (less than                                                                  
       50,000) ...............................     M      152.9  153.3  153.7  153.5    0.4    0.1   -0.1 
                                                                                                          
 South urban .................................     M      157.7  157.8  158.0  158.1    0.3    0.2    0.1 
   Size A -  More than 1,500,000 .............     M      156.2  156.0  156.5  156.5    0.2    0.3    0.0 
   Size B/C -  50,000 to 1,500,000 (3)........     M      102.4  102.5  102.5  102.7    0.3    0.2    0.2 
   Size D -  Nonmetropolitan  (less than                                                                  
       50,000) ...............................     M      160.6  160.8  161.2  161.2    0.4    0.2    0.0 
                                                                                                          
 West urban ..................................     M      161.8  161.8  162.5  162.8    0.6    0.6    0.2 
   Size A   - More than 1,500,000 ............     M      160.7  160.8  161.6  162.0    0.8    0.7    0.2 
   Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 (3).........     M      103.3  103.3  103.5  103.7    0.4    0.4    0.2 
                                                                                                          
                 Size classes                                                                             
                                                                                                          
   A (4)......................................     M      147.0  146.9  147.4  147.5    0.3    0.4    0.1 
   B/C (3)....................................     M      102.4  102.5  102.6  102.7    0.3    0.2    0.1 
   D .........................................     M      159.1  159.2  159.6  159.5    0.3    0.2   -0.1 
                                                                                                          
             Selected local areas                                                                         
                                                                                                          
                                                                                                          
 Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI ..............     M      159.9  159.6  160.5  160.6    0.4    0.6    0.1 
 Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA .....     M      157.0  157.2  157.9  158.1    0.7    0.6    0.1 
 New York-Northern N.J.-Long Island,                                                                      
     NY-NJ-CT-PA .............................     M      170.5  170.5  170.9  170.8    0.2    0.2   -0.1 
                                                                                                          
 Boston-Brockton-Nashua, MA-NH-ME-CT .........     1      171.5      -  172.2      -      -      -      - 
 Cleveland-Akron, OH .........................     1      152.8      -  152.8      -      -      -      - 
 Dallas-Fort Worth, TX .......................     1      153.8      -  154.8      -      -      -      - 
 Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV (5)........     1      102.2      -  102.7      -      -      -      - 
                                                                                                          
 Atlanta, GA .................................     2          -  158.8      -  159.3      -    0.3      - 
 Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, MI .................     2          -  155.9      -  155.9      -    0.0      - 
 Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX ..............     2          -  144.8      -  145.2      -    0.3      - 
 Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL ...................     2          -  158.7      -  158.8      -    0.1      - 
 Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City,                                                                   
     PA-NJ-DE-MD .............................     2          -  168.5      -  167.9      -   -0.4      - 
 San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA ..........     2          -  163.7      -  165.8      -    1.3      - 
 Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA ................     2          -  164.9      -  166.2      -    0.8      - 

   1 Foods, fuels, and several other items priced every month in all areas;  
   most other goods and services priced as indicated:                      
        M - Every month.                                                   
         1 - January, March, May, July, September, and November.            
         2 - February, April, June, August, October, and December.          
   2 Regions defined as the four Census regions.  See map in technical notes.
   3 Indexes on a December 1996=100 base.
   4 Indexes on a December 1986=100 base.
   5 Indexes on a November 1996=100 base.
   - Data not available.
 NOTE:  Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.