The latest Consumer Price Index news release for the greater Seattle area is now available from BLS at http://www.bls.gov/ro9/cpiseat.pdf.

Items of note include:

• Prices in the Seattle area increased 1.6% for the two months ending April 2014, while up 2.4% over the past 12 months
• Local energy prices rose 7.8% over the past 2 months, primarily due to higher prices for gasoline
• The all items less food and energy index advanced 1.1% over the past 2 months, while up 2.3% over the past year

Nationally, prices increased 2.0% over the last 12 months