RE: Sidebar Article
Jewelry Inflation +8% in Dec.
The U.S. consumer price index (CPI) for jewelry in the month of December rose 7.8% percent year on year to 181.9 points, the highest reading ever for the month. December's reading was 1.4 points higher than November and the third consecutive month with a historic reading above 180 points. Jewelry price inflation for the year rose 9.5% to a record monthly average of 176.5 points. Jewelry prices throughout 2011 were driven higher by record gold prices and double-digit increase for diamonds. The CPI for all product categories during December rose 3% year on year to 226.75 points, which was just slightly lower than the record high set in September. The CPI for the year 2011 rose 3.15%.