Highlights:

1. Consumer prices rose 1.8% in the 12 months to July, following a 1.0% increase in June. On a non-seasonally adjusted monthly basis, consumer prices rose 0.5% in July, after declining 0.1% in June.

All-items Consumer Price Index (CPI):

1. Energy prices rose 7.9% between July 2009 and July 2010, after increasing 1.3% over the 12 months ending in June.
2. In July, electricity prices rose 9.8%, after increasing 5.8% in June.
3. The price of gasoline increased 4.8% in July compared to the same month a year earlier, after decreasing 2.9% in June.
4. Higher consumer prices were recorded in July for homeowner’s replacement costs (+5.5%), passenger vehicle insurance premiums (+5.1%), and prices for food purchased from restaurants (+2.8%).
5. Prices increased in seven of the eight major components of the CPI in the 12 months to July; the only exception was clothing and footwear.

Main contributors to the 12-month change in the CPI:

Main upward contributors:

1. Electricity (+9.8%)
2. Gasoline (+4.8%)
3. Homeowner’s replacement costs (+5.5%)
4. Passenger vehicle insurance premiums (+5.1%)
5. Food purchased from restaurants (+2.8%)

Main downward contributors:

1. Mortgage interest cost (-4.2%)
2. Women’s clothing (-7.4%)
3. Air transportation (-6.9%)
4. Travel tours (-5.7%)
5. Video equipment (-13.9%)

Main contributors to the monthly change in the CPI, non-seasonally adjusted:

Main upward contributors:

1. Gasoline (+3.5%)
2. Electricity (+4.0%)
3. Food purchased from restaurants (+1.1%)
4. Cigarettes (+3.7%)
5. Traveller accommodations (+2.8%)

Main downward contributors:

1. Purchase of passenger vehicles (-2.4%)
2. Fresh vegetables (-3.5%)
3. Women’s clothing (-1.8%)
4. Footwear (-3.3%)
5. Children’s clothing (-2.3%)