The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers increased 0.5% in December on a seasonally adjusted basis after rising 0.8% in November. The all-items index increased 7.0% before seasonal adjustment, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Wednesday. The food index increased 0.5% in December, following larger increases in each of the three previous months.

Five of the six major grocery store food group indexes increased in December. The index for fruits and vegetables increased the most, rising 0.9% over the month as the index for fresh fruits increased 1.8%. The index for nonalcoholic beverages rose 0.8% in December, and the index for dairy increased 0.7%.

The index for other food at home rose 0.6%, and the index for cereals and bakery products increased 0.4%. The index for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs declined in December, falling 0.4% after rising at least 0.7% in each of the last seven months.

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