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Cost of goods continues to rise in Honolulu

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Honolulu's inflation rate has slowed over the past year, although prices for certain goods continue to rise.

A new report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows the average cost of goods in the city rose by 2% in the past year.

As of March, the rolling inflation rate on Oʻahu fell to 3.3%. That's a drop from 5.2% in January.

Between March and May of this year, the average cost of goods increased by more than a quarter of a percent. That increase was caused by higher prices for food and shelter.

Food consistently drove the increases in costs. Economists found that food prices in Honolulu rose 1.6% between March and May.

The price of groceries grew by nearly 2% over the last year.

Housing prices have also increased by almost 1% over the past year.

But local energy costs declined year-over-year during the report's two-month snapshot, largely due to lower gas and electricity prices.

Nationally, the CPI rose 4% over the past year, primarily driven by rising costs for food, housing and vehicles.

Casey Harlow was an HPR reporter and occasionally filled in as local host of Morning Edition and All Things Considered.
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