WASHINGTON – Retail apparel prices dropped for the third consecutive month in May, falling a seasonally adjusted 0.2 percent, while increasing 0.8 percent compared with a year earlier, the Labor Department said today in its Consumer Price Index.
Apparel prices also declined 0.2 percent in March and April. Women’s apparel prices fell 0.8 percent in May, but rose 0.7 percent compared to the same period a year earlier. Men’s apparel prices increased 0.2 percent in May and rose 0.4 percent year-to-year.
Prices for all goods and services increased a seasonally adjusted 0.1 percent in May, but fell 1.3 percent in 12-month comparisons. The so-called core prices, which exclude the volatile food and energy sectors, rose 0.1 percent.
For complete coverage, see Thursday’s WWD.