Grocery prices up in NY area

Higher grocery prices helped drive up inflation 0.3 percent in the greater New York area in January, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said Thursday morning.

The uptick followed two months of flat prices in the region that includes Long Island.

The 1.5 percent increase for food at home was the largest monthly increase since January 2007. Groceries that cost more in January included coffee, fresh vegetables, pork, seafood and eggs.

Energy also went up 1.5 percent. That followed a 2.9 percent increase in December.

However, residential rent dropped 0.3 percent, the largest over-the-month dip since April 1994.

The local January consumer price index rose 1.5 percent compared to a year ago. Gasoline prices shot up 15.1 percent from the previous year.

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