WASHINGTON — The Consumer Price Index for baked foods and cereal products rebounded from three straight months of declines to finish higher in September, rising 0.2% to 250.1, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor. The index for all food at home also finished higher, increasing 0.4% after rising 0.1% in August.

Of the 18 items tracked by Milling & Baking News, 13 posted month-over-month gains, while 5 finished lower.

The September index for cereals and bakery products before seasonal adjustment was 250.1% of the 1982-84 average, down 0.4% from a year ago. For all food at home, the September index was 216.2, up 1.4% from September 2009.

The C.P.I. for cereals and cereal products in September was 216.6, down 0.9% from August and down 2.3% from September 2009. The index for products within this category included: flour and prepared mixes, 223.8, down 1.1% from August and down 3.7% from the previous year; breakfast cereal, 214.1, down 1.1% from the previous month and down 2.1% from a year ago; and rice, pasta and corn meal, 223.1, down 0.6% from August and down 1.7% from September 2009.

The price index for bakery products in September was 268, up 0.6% from August and up 0.4% from September 2009.

The September index for bread was 159.3, up 1.4% from August but down 0.3% from September 2009. Under this heading, the C.P.I. for white bread was 293.8, up 1.3% from August and up 1.4% from September 2009.

For bread other than white, the index was 301.3, up 2.2% from August but down 1.8% from a year ago.
The price index for fresh biscuits, rolls and muffins in September was 153.5, up 0.3% from August and up 0.8% from September 2009. The September index for cakes, cupcakes and cookies was 249.8, up 0.1% from August and up 0.8% from September 2009. Under this segment, other price indexes included fresh cakes and cupcakes, 256.6, up 0.7% from August but down 0.3% from September 2009; and cookies, 242.8, down 0.9% from the previous month but up 1.8% from the previous year.

The C.P.I. for other bakery products in September was 249.6, up 0.5% from August and up 0.4% from September 2009. Under this heading, other price indexes in September included: fresh sweet rolls, coffee cakes and donuts, 256.3, up 1.6% from August and up 1.7% from September 2009; crackers and cracker products, 289.7, up 0.6% from August but down 0.6% from September 2009; and frozen and refrigerated bakery products, pies, tarts and turnovers, 255, up 0.9% from August and up 0.2% from the previous year.