Highlights:

1. Consumer prices rose 1.7% in the 12 months to August, following a 1.8% increase in July. On a non-seasonally adjusted monthly basis, consumer prices fell 0.1% in August, after increasing 0.5% in July.

All-items Consumer Price Index (CPI):

1. Energy prices rose 5.0% between August 2009 and August 2010, after increasing 7.9% over the 12 months ending in July.
2. In August, electricity prices rose 7.7%, after increasing 9.8% in July.
3. Higher consumer prices were recorded in August for homeowner’s replacement costs (+5.5%), passenger vehicle insurance premiums (+5.1%), and food purchased from restaurants (+2.5%).
4. Prices increased in seven of the eight major components of the CPI in the 12 months to August; the only exception was clothing and footwear.
5. The price of gasoline increased 1.9% in August compared to the same month a year earlier, after increasing 4.8% in July.

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

Main upward contributors:

1. Electricity (+7.7%)
2. Homeowner’s replacement costs (+5.5%)
3. Passenger vehicle insurance premiums (+5.1%)
4. Food purchased from restaurants (+2.5%)
5. Purchase of passenger vehicles (+2.2%)

Main downward contributors:

1. Mortgage interest cost (-3.8%)
2. Women’s clothing (-7.1%)
3. Air transportation (-8.8%)
4. Video equipment (-13.8%)

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

Main upward contributors:

1. Personal care (+1.4%)
2. Men’s clothing (+2.6%)
3. Clothing accessories and jewellery (+2.9%)
4. Women’s clothing (+1.0%)
5. Rent (+0.2%)

Main downward contributors:

1. Fresh vegetables (-4.2%)
2. Home and mortgage insurance (-2.8%)
3. Natural gas (-2.8%)
4. Non-alcoholic beverages (-3.0%)
5. Air transportation (-2.0%)